156 



Petiver in his " Papilionum Brittannise, Icones, Nomina, & c /' published in 

 1717, informs us that the Peacock's Eye often appears early and continues 

 long, and that it is pretty common both in gardens and fields. 



Albin, in his "Natural History of English Insects/' 1749, informs us that 

 the caterpillar, when touched, lets fall from his mouth a drop or two of dark 

 green liquor, but for what reason he could not judge ; as it is not hurtful to 

 to any part of the shin where it falls ; and that it is subject to the same 

 production of Ichneumons as that of Atalanta. 



Harris, in his "Aurelian," 1770, writes, "The female Peacock layeth her 

 eggs the latter end of April or the beginning of May, on the top part of the 

 nettle, placing them generally on the stalk close under the young budding 

 leaves, to preserve them from the too violent heat of the sun, where they are 

 hatched in a few days. The young caterpillars inclose themselves in a very 

 fine tender web, drawing at the same time the leaves to cover them as much 

 as they can, that they may receive the benefit of their shade : in the first skin 

 they are of a greenish-white, and appear naked and shining, which appearance 

 continues till they are in their fourth skin, at which time they . become quite 

 black. After the shifting of each skin they extend their web further, and 

 will sometimes divide themselves into two or three separate colonies. When 

 they are in their last skin they quite forsake their web, and feed separate. 

 When full-fed they hang themselves up by the tail, and in about twenty four 

 hours, the skin slips off as the chrysalis appears, which at first is green and 

 tender; but one hour is sufficient to harden the shell against the injuries it 

 might receive by the plants being shaken by the wind. In about nineteen 

 days the fly appears. They continue in the fly state during the winter, and 

 I have seen them flying in February, when the snow has been on the ground/' 



Lewin, in his "Insects of Great Britain," 1795, adds "The insects of this 

 species are very plentiful, and spread themselves everywhere." 



Newman, in his "British Butterflies/' 1871, states that he once found 

 more than 40 Peacock butterflies inside of an old hollow oak ; and that it is 

 a common species in England and Ireland, but scarce in Scotland. 



In the " Entomologist," Yol. VI., it is recorded as being very common in 

 1873 and scarce in 1872, by Mr. Stevens, who goes on to say, "of Atalanta 

 and Cardui I have not seen a specimen, and I have not heard of anyone tak- 

 ing Antiopa" 



In the "Young Naturalist," for 1885, Mr. Eobson writes, "When I com- 

 menced to collect, the caterpillars of Vanessa Io might be found on every 

 patch of nettles. I have not seen them for many years, and rarely observe 

 the perfect insect. The same remark applies to many other places." 



It was fairly common in Dorsetshire in 1886. 



