PURPLE EMPEP.OP.. 
ing to the different lights in which this beauti- 
ful insedt is viewed. Sometimes it appears of 
a sooty black ; and, at others, the eye is sud- 
denly dazzled with a resplendent glow of vi- 
vid purple : so that, by frequently turning the 
fly into different pofitions, the colours play 
and ihift through ail the gradations, from a 
sooty black to the mofl: brilliant purple, in 
5uch a manner as undesciibably to charm the 
eve with a dehghtful and amazing varietv. 
The borders of the wincrs are ornamented 
With . a row or line of misty orange spots ; 
and, towards the abdominal corners of the in- 
ferior wrings, there are two eye-like spots, one 
cn each, v\'hich consist of a round black spot 
with a small speck of white in the middle, the 
black one being encircled with a gold-coloured 
ring. The superior wings have each a num- 
ber of white spots ; three of which, extend- 
ing from the middle to the lower or flip-edge, 
seem to join another band which crosses the in- 
ferior wing, and reaches to that part which is 
nearest the anus or end of the abdomen. 
** On the under- fide, the eves appear of a 
red brown, having a wliite streak under each. 
The 
