CAMBERWELL BEAUTY. 
169 
The caterpillar, like most of those belonging to 
this genus, is gregarious, and consumes the foliage 
of various trees, particularly the birch, willow, aind 
poplar. The colour of its body is black, with a se- 
ries of spots along the back, and the eight interme- 
diate legs red. 
“ This fine species,” says Mr Curtis, “ is render- 
ed rare and remarkable in this country by its pe- 
riodical appearance, the cause of which has never 
hitherto been ascertained. The most probable con- 
jecture is (as Mr Haworth has observed), that ‘ their 
eggs in this climate, like the seeds of some vege- 
tables, may occasionally lie dormant for several sea- 
sons, and not hatch until some extraordinary but 
undiscovered coincidence awake them into active 
life.’ Until four or five years since, V. Antiopa 
had not been seen for nearly forty years, when it 
was exceedingly abundant in different parts of the 
kingdom. In the year 1819, a few were taken in 
Suffolk, and Mr Samouelle captured one the follow- 
ing spring that had lived through the winter, sines 
which period it has not been seen. It has received 
its English name from having been first observed at 
Camberwell, whither it might have been attracted 
by willows, upon which the larvae feed. The but- 
terfly is found in the beginning of August. It fre- 
quents woods, and is strong and rapid in flight.”* 
“ This species has been once taken in Scotland, 
near Beith in Ayrshire.” James IVilson, Esq. 
* British Entom. ii. 96. 
