48 PLA TB. Cxxxvil. 
The pencil can produce but a feeble and inadequate imitation of 
the metallic fplendour of this beautiful, yet common Infect. The 
upper Wings have the appearance of fine burnifhed brafs, changeable 
in different direétions of the light to green, brown, and rich golden 
hues ; the under Wings are of a blackifh colour, and ferve as an 
admirable contraft to the more brilliant and varied teints of the upper 
Wings. The Thorax is crefted. 
Berkenhout has given a very falfe defcription of the Caterpillar of 
this Infect, he fays it is ‘* {mooth, orange with white f{pots;’’ we 
think it neceflary to note this error only as it may miflead young 
Colie&ors, who have no other affiftant than his Synopfis, by which 
they can determine the Species, when in the Caterpillar ftate. It is 
aftonifhing how he could poflibly be led into this error, when Albin, 
Fabricius *, and all preceding authors on Entomology, have defcribed 
it fo plainly. 
It feeds on Nettles, and other Plants, growing among ‘the low 
herbage by the fide of banks; in fine feafons there are generally 
two broods of them from May, to June in the following year; the 
firft are found early in May in the Caterpillar ftate, appear in June 
in thé winged ftate; Caterpillars are full fed again in July, the 
Moths come forth in Augutt. 
* Larva folitaria, gibbofa, viridis albo ftriata. Fabricius. 
PLATE 
