112 LOVERS OF THE LIGHT. 



should otherwise, in mention of the adult Lepidopterae of the 

 oak, have given honour due to the " Purple, Emperor" that 

 princely Butterfly, to whom the oak tree furnishes, succes- 

 sively, a nursery and a throne. As a green Caterpillar, dot- 

 ted with black and distinguished by horns, he feeds upon the 

 leaves, changes next into a green chrysalis, and, attaining in 

 July to the winged glory of his regal purple, cleaves the air 

 in flights high and rapid as a bird of prey ; but ever and anon 

 returns to his lofty throne on the summit of the paternal tree, 

 there to rejoin his empress, who is accustomed as becomes 

 her to abide at home in domestic dignity. 



We have talked about the " Emperor's " royal purple; but 

 when in his royal presence you may possibly declare that his 

 robes are only brown. Now if, on these his robes or pinions, 

 we chose to pin a disputation, the Chameleon's self, as fabled, 

 could not have afforded a better theme. But rather than 

 quarrel on our subject, suppose we turn it towards the light, 

 and from it, and then we shall both agree that our "Em- 

 peror's " wings are, in one position, of the darkest brown : in 

 another, of the most resplendent purple. 



Besides this monarch of English Butterflies, two other of 

 our latest and handsomest, the Admiral* and Peacock's Eye,\ 

 are frequently found veiling their glories from the September 

 sun on the trunk or branches of the oak, or sipping in Octo- 

 ber the honeyed blossoms of the ivy. 



* Venessa Atalanta. t Vanessa lo. 



