160 OTHER IRISH SPECIES. 



soft, SO rich, and so resplendent, that the attendants 

 of Titania, when ordered by their mistress, in her 

 passion for "Bottom the weaver," to 



" pluck the ■(vina;s from painted butteiilies, 



To fan the moon-beams from his sleeping eyes," — 



(Midsummer Nighfs Dream, Act III. Sc. I.) 



could select none more gorgeous or more beautiful. 

 The peacock butterfly (Vanessa lo), for so it is 

 named, is found, though very rarely, in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Portarlington ; in the south of Ireland 

 it is comparatively abundant, if I may judge from the 

 numerous specimens which I have received from 

 Cork. 



Some of the species now mentioned are found in 

 countries very remote from each other. Among a 

 very small number of Papilionidse, brought to me 

 from Port Hope, in Upper Canada, Phleas Aglaia and 

 Atalanta are found, and one almost, but not perfectly. 

 identical with Cardui. And in a collection from 

 " the frosty Caucasus," and now in the Museum 

 of the Royal Institution of London, may be observed, 

 I am told, lo, Paphia, Cardui, Dorylas, and Atalanta . 



I shall not, at present, dwell longer on this attrac- 

 tive family, than merely to direct your attention to 

 the manner in which the term " gilded butterflies" is 

 applied by Shakspeare to gay, trifling, insignificant 

 persons. The phrase occurs when Lear is about 



