-^8 PLATE CXXXVII. 



The pencil can produce but a feeble and inadequate imitation of 

 the metallic fplendour of this beautiful, yet common Infedl. The 

 upper Wings have rhe appearance of fine burniflied brafs, changeable 

 in different directions 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. 



Berhnhout has given a very falfe defcription of the Caterpillar of 

 this Infedt, he fays it is " fmooth, orange with white fpots ;" we 

 think it neceffary to note this error only as it may miflead young 

 CoUcclors, who have no other afliftant than his Synopfis, by which 

 they can determine the Species, when in the Caterpillar flate. It is 

 aRonifliing how he could poflibly be led into this error, when Alb'in, 

 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 flate, appear in June 

 in the winged ftate ; Caterpillars are full fed again in July, the 

 ^oths come forth in Auguft. 



* Larva foUtarla, glbbofa , viridis albo Arlata. F*hrictus, 



PLATE 



