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THE EMPEROR OF THE WOODS, OR PURPLE 

 HIGHFLIER. 



Papilio Iris. BRITAIN. 



PLATE XXI. 



Papilio Iris, Linn. Syst. Nat. p4. 76. Harris's Aurelian, 

 p. 5, pi. 3 Shaw's Nat. Miscel. pi. 862. 



THE antennae are club-shaped ; the wings are 

 indented, purple above, changing to brown in different 

 lights ; they are darker round the edges, the depth of 

 tone being nearly black ; the upper wings have seven 

 distinct white spots, the largest of which is triangular, 

 which joins to a sesquilaterous white band, crossing 

 them in a diagonal direction ; in the centre of the 

 lower half is an annulet of bright orange, with an 

 internal ring of black and white in the centre ; the 

 head and body are dark raw umber brown ; the eyes, 

 orange ; the whole under surface of the insect is 

 black, brown, and white. 



The Papilio Iris is esteemed among the most 

 beautiful, and placed with the rare, of the British 

 Lepidoptera. The cursory reader may not perceive 

 that superiority, particularly as many of the minute 

 insects infinitely excel it in real beauty and richness 

 of colouring ; but the scientific will be ever ready to 

 give it the first place as a British Butterfly. 

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