Reaumur performed some curious experiments with the chrysalides of this species, 

 with a view to discover the operation of heat and cold in forwarding or retarding 

 the appearance of the butterfly. In ordinary summer weather fourteen days are 

 required to mature them, but by placing the chrysalides under a hen they were 

 hatched in four days, whilst by placing them in a cold cellar the butterflies did not 

 appear until six weeks beyond the proper period. 



The anatomy of this butterfly in its different states has been elaborately inves- 

 tigated by Swammerdam in his Biblia Naturae. 



APATURA IRIS. THE PURPLE EMPEROR BUTTERFLY, 

 PURPLE HIGH-FLYER OR EMPEROR OF THE WOODS. 



Plate III. fig. sup. 



Synonyms. Papilio (Nymph Gemm.) Iris, Linn. Syst. Nat. ii. 77 o. Lewin Pap. pi. 16. Donovan 

 Brit. Ins. vol. 2. pi. 37. Wilkes Eng. B. & M. pi. 120. 

 Apatura Iris, Fabricius, Ochsenheimer, Leach, Stephens. Curtis Brit. Ent. pi. 338. 

 Duncan Brit. Butt. pi. 21. 



Upper Side. The antennae, head, thorax, and abdomen are of a deep soot colour ; the eyes 

 are brown ; the wings are of a dark soot colour, but when held in some positions seem to glow 

 with a glorious purple. In the superior wings are ten spots of white, about the size of a hemp 

 seed : and the inferior wings have a band or stripe of the same colour, which crosseth the middle 

 part. Near the abdominal corner of each inferior wing is a small ring of orange colour ; the 

 abdominal edge is also tinged with the same colour. The female hath not that fine purple cast 

 on the wings ; is much larger, but in other respects similar to the male. 



The under side is chiefly red-brown and ash colour, having the white spots as on the upper 

 side. It hath also two black spots on the table membrane, and a round black spot, about the 

 size of a hemp seed, about the middle of the first fan membrane, which hath a small speck of 

 light purple in the centre. The palpi, breast, and abdomen are on this side white in the female, 

 and of a palish purple in the male. 



The caterpillar feeds on sallow, and remains during the winter in that state ; it is of a 

 lovely green on the back, and of a pale blueish green on the belly. The head is shaped like a 

 heart, having two long horns, like those of a snail, and about the same size, fixed to the upper 

 part, and of the same hard substance with the head ; the body is thickest in the middle part, 

 and tapers to a point toward the tail ; on each side are seven diagonal lines of a pale yellow ; it 

 is also freckled or frosted all over with small pustules, like shagreen, and is very slow in its 

 motion. It changes into the chrysalis state the beginning of June, hanging by the tail to a wall 

 or perpendicular place, with the head downward ; it is in colour of a pale pea green, and flat, like 

 a pea-pod, and the fly appears the latter end of that month. 



Expansion of the wings 2|- 



-3j inches. 



This magnificent insect is by no means common; and the brilliant appearance 

 of the males serves to keep up its high value with collectors. To this also must be 

 added the difficulty with which the perfect insect is captured, owing to the velocity 

 and loftiness of its flight. Its habits are thus described by Mr. Haworth in the 

 * Lepidoptera Britannica :' — 



" The Purple Emperor of the British Oaks is not undeservedly the greatest 





