WHITE ADMIRAL PURPLE EMPEROR. 83 



and in Black Park, where Dr. Allchin informs me he 

 took a large number in one day. 



The superlatively graceful motions of this butterfly 

 on the wing, as it comes floating and sailing through 

 the wood openings, have long been celebrated ; and the 

 story has been often quoted from Haworth, of the old 

 fly-fancier, who, long after he had become too feeble 

 and stiff-jointed to pursue or net a butterfly, used to go 

 and sit on a stile which commanded a well-known resort 

 of his favourite Sybilla, and there, for hours together, 

 would he feast his eyes on the sight of her inimitably 

 elegant evolutions. 



THE PUKPLE EMPEROK. 

 (Apatura Iris.) (Plate VII. fig. 2.) 



BY universal suffrage, the place of highest rank among 

 the butterflies of Britain has been accorded to this 

 splendid insect, who merits his imperial title by reason 

 of his robe of royal purple, the lofty throne he assumes, 

 and the boldness and elevation of his flight. 



A glimpse of this august personage on the wing is 

 enough to fire the collector with enthusiastic ambition 

 for his capture ; sometimes a matter of the easiest ac- 

 complishment, sometimes just as hopelessly impossible, 

 according to his majesty's humour of the moment. 



Cowardice is not one of his attributes, and if he has 

 formed a preference for any especial spot, he will risk 

 loss of liberty and life rather than forsake it. 



The old mode of capturing this prize was by a ring 

 net fixed at the end of a pole some twenty or thirty 

 feet long, and so sweeping him off as he sat on his 

 leafy throne, or in one of his evolutions when he 

 quitted his seat for a turn in the air. 



This method still is practised, and succeeds occa- 

 sionally, but the weapon is an unwieldy one, both in 

 use, and for carriage to the place of action ; and scienca 

 has now placed in our power another plan, by means of 



G2 



