96 WILD BIRDS 



laries were still out, but fritillaries rarely mount as 

 high as the top of a lofty oak, and I knew, from 

 the glimpse I had, that this butterfly could not be a 

 large white, for its flight was too strong for any 

 white. 



Two days later I returned to the place, and 

 saw a purple emperor soaring and gliding in an open 

 space amid a group of oaks. 



The white admiral butterfly is lovely to watch, 

 being so buoyant, so exquisite in grace ; whilst the 

 fritillaries silver- washed and high-brown are dash- 

 ing and impetuous ; and clouded yellow and light- 

 clouded yellow butterflies are swift for their size, 

 racing over the clover-head fields in August and 

 September as fast as a man runs. But the emperor, 

 in the height at which it cuts and glides through 

 the air, and in the length and power of those proud 

 glides even when a brisk wind stirs, is more bird 

 than butterfly. I had a good view of it whilst it 

 floated on a level with the oak tops high over my 

 head, now and then descending to settle and sun 

 itself on an oak leaf near the middle of one of the 

 trees. It did not spire up and up, as it sometimes 

 will ; but I am sure it could have done so even in 

 the wind that was swinging the upper boughs of 

 the oak. As it lay flat on the air during one of its 

 long glides right over my head, I could see the white 

 bands across the underside of the wings, and the 

 brown colour of those wings, but not the shot blue 

 or purple film, for this is only on the upper sides. 



The gliding and sailing action of the purple em- 



