WHITE ADMIRAL. 



67 



Family 4. WHITE ADMIRALS (in science Neptidce). 

 The heads of the carerpillars are exserted 

 and shield-like j the face is generally flattened 

 and beset round the margin with strong spines, 

 particularly observable on the crown ; the 

 body is of nearly uniform size and beset with 

 branched and often clubbed spines ; they feed 

 on a variety of plants. The chrysalids are 

 always angled, and sometimes humped in a 

 very extraordinary manner. The head is 

 always eared. The perfect insect has but four 

 legs, the anterior pairs having no claws, and 

 being unfitted for walking. The wings are 

 not angled, but scalloped. We have but one 

 genus inhabiting this country Limenitis ; 

 but in the East the genera and species are 

 most abundant. 



18. White Admiral (Limenitis Sibylla). Upper side. 



Under side. 



1 8. THE WHITE ADMIRAL. The wings are 

 scalloped but not angled, their colour is rusty 

 black ; the fore wing has about a dozen white 

 spots, very various in size and shape; the hind 

 wings have an oblique transverse median white 

 band. The markings on the under side are 

 exceedingly beautiful and complicated, almost 

 vying with those on the under side of the 

 Red Admiral. 



Variety of White Admiral. Upper and Under sldea. 



Varieties. An extraordinary variety of 

 this species occasionally occurs in which not 

 a trace of the usual markings is to be found 

 on the upper side, a uniform sooty black 

 being diffused over the whole surface. The 

 under side is equally abnormal. The beau- 

 tiful specimens figured are in the rich cabinet 

 of Mr. Bond, and are kindly lent expressly 

 for this work. 



LIFE HISTORY. In July the pregnant 

 female is seen hovering over the thickest parts 

 of our taller copses, wherever the stems of the 

 honeysuckle are imbedded, like petrified 

 snakes, in the upright stems of the hazels, and 

 the foliage of that sweet climber has surmount- 

 ed the hazel spray, and its blossoms are gaping 

 wide in the sunshine, and diffusing their deli- 

 cate fragrance on the summer air. The actions 

 and movements of a female butterfly when 

 engaged in the maternal duty of oviposition 

 are very different from her ordinary gait 

 when sailing over the opening blossoms of the 

 bramble in company with friends, lovers, and 

 kinsfolk. It is evident to the eye of the 

 naturalist that she is now on weighty affairs 

 of business ; there is no time lost, none of 



