BUTTERFLY. 213 



black, with numerous white spots, and black 

 ramified spines: it feeds principally on the Nettle, 

 changing to chrysalis in July, and the fly appear- 

 ing in August. 



P. Jurtina is a species equally common, though 

 far less beautiful. It is chiefly observed in mea- 

 dows, and is of a brown colour, the upper wings 

 having a much brighter or orange-ferruginous bar 

 towards the tips, with a small, black, eye-shaped 

 spot with a white centre : on the opposite or 

 under side of the insect the same distribution of 

 colours takes place. 



Of the Xymphales PJtakrati few can surpass the 

 common English species called P. Atalanta or the 

 Admirable Butterfly: it is of the most intense 

 velvet-black colour, with a rich carmine-coloured 

 bar across the upper wings, which are spotted 

 towards the tips with white; while the lower wings 

 are black, with a deep border of carmine-colour 

 marked by a row of small black spots: the under 

 surface of the wings also presents a most beautiful 

 mixture of colours: the caterpillar is brown and 

 spiny, feeds on Nettles, and changes into a chry- 

 salis in July, the Fly appearing in August. 



P. Paphia is a highly elegant insect, of a fine 

 orange-chesnut colour above, with numerous black 

 spots and bars: beneath greenish, with narrow 

 silvery undulations on the lower wings and black 

 spots on the upper. It proceeds from a yellowish 

 brown spiny caterpillar, living principally on 

 nettles. This insect is generally found in the 

 neighbourhood of woods. 



