130 EMPEROR AND EMPRESS. 



down to his leafy throne beside his empress. She, poor lady I 

 has been left at home the live-long morning how employed 

 we know not, perhaps by turns sipping her acorn cups of 

 honey-dew by turns reposing, and by turns watching 

 through her argus optics tinged, may be, with Love's rosy 

 hue, jaundiced, may be, with a shade of jealousy the pro- 

 gress of her royal spouse, as much at least of it as she may be 

 able to discern. 



The upper wings of this most regal insect are rich brown, 

 changing with the light to a bright blue purple, or more pro- 

 perly seeming, as they have been well described, to emit fit- 

 ful flashes of this brilliant hue. 'They are also enlivened by 

 four patches of white, the secondary pinions being adorned 

 near their margin each with a black spot, surrounded by a 

 red circle. 



The empress of this imperial butterfly, more sober in attire, 

 as well as more sedate in habits than her lord, displays no 

 purple in her deep brown wings, and keeps, as we have seen, 

 her solitary court upon the oak tree, whilst her royal partner 

 is engaged in pastime, or in fighting (as is his frequent wont) 

 with his brother potentates of air. 



For the more lofty and more frequent flights of the Purple 

 Emperor, as compared with those of his empress, a physical 

 cause has been assigned, existing, it is said, in his peculiar 

 possession of a strong elastic spring, so contrived as to give 

 additional power to his nervous wings. 



