129 



Mr. Bree observes, " The peculiarity consists in the wings above being en- 

 tirely of a sooty black ; and, consequently, destitute of the white markings, 

 and the elegant white band, which form so striking a character in the ordi- 

 nary specimens of Sibylla. A few lighter spots, however, are visible here and 

 there, both on the anterior and posterior wings ; just serving to trace out, 

 very faintly and obscurely, the mere rudiments, as it were, of the usual white 

 marks and fascia. The cilia are white, as in other specimens. On the under 

 surface of the wings the white fascia is also wanting, and the spots and 

 markings are far less numerous and distinct than usual. The colouring, 

 likewise, is less brilliant, the tints being blended together and softened into 

 each other, in a way which it is not very easy to describe in words. 



In Mr. Bond's cabinet is a variety in which not a trace of the usual mark- 

 ings is to be found on the upperside, an uniform sooty black being diffused 

 over the whole surface. The underside is equally abnormal. 



The egg is something the shape of an orange, only flatter at the poles, and 

 has been compared to those sea-urchin^ or sea-hedgehogs which are found 

 on the sea beach, and are to be seen in the window of every shell shop. 



The caterpillar is of a pale delicate green, with numerous white dots, and 

 branched purplish red spines, two on each segment, except the second and 

 thirteenth ; on the third, fourth, sixth, eleventh, and twelfth segments these 

 spines are long : on the fifth, seventh, eight, ninth, and tenth they are short ; 

 there are also four very short spines or bundles of hair on the thirteenth. 

 The colour of the caterpillar becomes lighter as it approaches the spiracles, 

 which are white encircled with black, and are placed just above a white spir- 

 acular line, in which, beneath each spiracle, is a bright yellow blotch ; above 

 the spiracles is a broad purple stripe; the head is pink, marked with brown, 

 covered with white dots, and surrounded with spines; the legs are of an 

 obscure brownish green, with claspers of a paler shade, and pink tips.— Wil- 

 son's " Larvse of British Lepidoptera." 



The chrysalis is very angular, and its wing cases very projecting, the dor- 

 sal surface of the thorax rises to a prominent ridge, and a little beyond it is 

 a flat, round, and very projecting process on the back, and from thence to 

 the anal tip the abdomen is slightly sinuous, and therefore hangs a little 

 on one side; two flat- forked processes project from the head. Its colour at 

 first is a greenish white, but it gradually darkens, and in a few days the 

 thorax and wing-cases are deep olive green, the centre of the back of the 

 abdomen bright apple green, its tip and underside being dark brown, which 

 forms on the back a broad band, including the flat circular prominence at its 

 termination. The hare's ear-like projections at the head are also dark brown, 

 the nervures of the wings can be seen distinctly ; the portions that appeared 



