42 LIMENITIS SIBYLLA. 



Its first proceeding is now to cast off its winter coat, 

 and accordingly it attaches itself to a spinning of silk 

 on the twig, and by degrees crawls out of its old skin, 

 which is left adhering to the silk, not shrivelled up, 

 but looking still much like a larva. 



It is now a much fresher looking creature, and after 

 feeding on the just bursting buds of its twig, it is by 

 the beginning of May half an inch long, brown on the 

 back, with spines of the same colour, and yellowish- 

 white along the sides, on which the blackish spiracles 

 appear very distinct. Just above the ventral legs it 

 shows a reddish-brown stripe ; the legs and belly are 

 rather paler brown. In a few days it again moults, 

 and then assumes a miniature resemblance of the adult 

 larva already described. (W. B., 1, 69 ; B.M.M. V, 

 226.) 



Apatura Iris. 

 Plate VII, fig. 2. 



It is quite as difficult to convey to others a due sense 

 of my gratification in having been able to observe the 

 wonderful larva of this imperial species, as it is to 

 express adequately my grateful thanks to my kind 

 friend Mr. Doubleday, for the two fine examples of it 

 sent me on the June 5th, 1867, feeding on sallow — 

 Salix caprcea. 



This larva is not slow in its movements, which are 

 very graceful as it turns and accommodates itself to 

 the various positions necessary to its progress amongst 

 the leaves, eating rapidly and voraciously, cutting out 

 a large portion of a leaf in a few seconds ; but it is 

 easily alarmed, for a touch of the leaf or slight shake 

 of the spray transforms it into a very different looking 

 creature. 



Its structure cannot be well understood until it is 

 seen walking or feeding ; then the flexile motions of 

 the head become apparent, furnished as it is on the 



