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GENUS I. BUTTERFLIES. 

 SEC. I. SP. IV. PEACOCK BUTTERFLY. 



PL 4- 



Io. Linnœus. 

 Peacock. Harris. 



The eggs of this elegant fly are laid the end of April, or beginning of May, 



on the upper parts of the great flinging nettle ; the parent taking great care to 



place them on the ftalk, clofe under the young leaves, to preferve them from the 



too violent heat of the fun, or the inclemency of the weather. In a few days 



the caterpillars make their appearance, and inclofe themfelves in a fine web -, 



drawing, at the fame time, the leaves to cover them, that they may ftill receive 



the benefit of their fhade. In this firft fkin they are of a greenifh white, and 



appear naked and fliining, not unlike maggots. In the fécond fkin they are 



brown ; and as they change their fkins they grow darker, till the fourth, which 



is black. Every time they fhifc their fkins, they collect together, and web at a 



diftance from their former refidence. When in their laft fkin, they forfake the 



web, feeding feparately ; and when full fed, as in fig. 1, they are of a fine 



deep black colour, powdered all over with fmall white fpecks. The latter end 



of June, they feek a convenient place of fafety for the chryfalides, and there fuf- 



pend themfelves by the tail. In a few hours the fkin fplits at the back, and flips 



off" towards the head. The chryfalides appear at firft of a pale green colour ; 



but in a fhort time they harden, and change to a brown : fometimes they look 



as if gilt with gold, but fuch fine outfides generally produce ichneumons, inftead 



of the expected flies. They remain in chryfalis about three weeks, and then 



the butterfly appears in all its beauty. The female is larger, and of a paler 



colour, than the male, fee fig. 3. The under part is reprefented, fig. 4, as 



they appear when at reft. Some of the late bred flies live through the winter, 



others remain in chryfalis till the fpring. The infects of this fpecies are very 



plentiful, and fpread themfelves every where. 



