4 ^ PLATE XXXYlt. 



tific will be ever ready to give it the firfl place as a Britifh Papilidy 

 and to thofe a figure of the Caterpillar and Chryfalis will be an ac-* 

 ceptable acquifition. It derives the title of Purple High Flyer, as 

 it very rarely defcends to the ground ; except in fome few inflances, 

 jt has never been taken but in the moil: elevated fituations, and even 

 thofe inflances have been after a ftrong wind, or heavy rain ; The tops 

 of the loftieft forefl: trees afford it an afylum, and in the Caterpillar 

 and Chryfalis ftate, it is preferved from the wanton cruelty of man, by 

 the almoft inaccelTible height of Its habitation. They feed on the 

 Sallow, falix caprea^ and the Caterpillars are obtained by beating the 

 branches of the tree with a pole twenty or thirty feet In length ; it 

 Js then but a neceflary precaution to cover the ground beneath wlth- 

 large fheets to a certain diftance;, or the infe6ls which fall, v/ill be loft 

 among the herbage. 



It Is In Caterpillar about May and June ; It pafTes to the Chryfalis 

 ftate, and In July or yfugi.fr Is a Papilio. - 



The great difficulty and trouble to rear the Caterpillars, when found ; 

 and greater difficulty to take the Fly, has (lamped a valuable confi- 

 deration on it, arid particularly fo when fine, anJ a high price is but 

 efteemed an adequate compenfation for It if In good prefervatlon. 

 The male is fmaller, but more beautiful than the female j the upper 

 fide of the wings of the female not being enriched with that vivid 

 change of purple which the male pofTefles in fuch an eminent degree ; 

 but the underfide of the female Is far richer In the various telnts of 

 colour than the male : they are both beautifully fpotted, mottled, and 

 waved with brown, black, white, and orange. The Chryfalis is of a 

 very 4ellcate texture, much refembling thin white paper, and Is tinged 

 in feveral parts with a very lively purple hue which it borrows from 

 the wings of the encloreJ infeci:, and bears the charadleriftic mark 

 of a Papilio, by being fufpendcd from the tail, with the head dov/nv/ard. 



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