212 THE BUTTERFLY VIVARIUM. 



a professor. But the daring insect requires no 

 teaching; he rises at once holdly into the new 

 element, never doubting his powers, and sails off 

 far over the bosom of the lake perfectly unconscious 

 of any danger, as he takes what one might literally 

 call " one of the boldest flights of intuitive genius." 



In his fully expanded and mature state he may 

 be seen in the same Plate VI., No. 4<. His scientific 

 name is Calopteryx Virgo, as I have stated, and 

 he belongs to the class termed Agrionidce. The 

 name of the genus Calopteryx is evidently derived 

 from the Greek words koXos (beautiful), and vrrepov 

 (a wing) ; all the three species which belong to it 

 having their wings more or less enriched with 

 striking colours, while those of the rest of the 

 family are perfectly transparent, or only slightly 

 tinted with colour. The term Agrionidce is pro- 

 bably from the Greek aypew (a hunter), from the 

 determination with which the living prey is pursued 

 by these creatures. The term would, however, be 

 equally applicable to the whole family. 



I recollect last summer seeing certain parts of the 

 Thames, a mile or two above Maidenhead Bridge, 

 covered with vast swarms of the beautiful Calop- 

 teryx Virgo, which, being in many instances settled 

 on the great sedges and rushes that fill the shallows 



