152 
LIBYTHEIDM. 
Geuus 1. — LIBYTHEA, Fab. 111. Mag. vi. p. 284 (1807) ; Lat. 
Enc. Metli. ix. p. 10 (1819) ; West. Geu. Diurn. 
Lep. p. 412. 
Chaeacters. — Antennfe of moderate length, gradually becoming 
thick towards the tips, but without any very distinct club. The 
wings are large in proportion to the body, and usually of a sombre 
colour, and with lighter brown markings. In the only European 
species they are angulated and with dentate margins. 
1.— L. Celtis, Esp. 87, 2, 3 (1783); Hiib. 447-9; 0. I. 2, 192; 
Godt. ii. 6, 5. 
Expands 1'50 to 1"75 in. Fore wings with a strongly marked 
angular projection (as in some of the Vanessce) dark brown, in some 
specimens nearly black, with a bright fulvous patch filling the dis- 
coidal cell, excepting where it is deeply notched with a dark brown 
triangle, having its base towards the costa ; at the termination of 
the discoidal cell this orange patch extends downwards and out- 
wards, hecoming expanded into an ovoid blotch below, which is a 
smaller round one ; near the costa of the wing is a round spot 
much lighter in colour than the rest, and below and external to it 
one of almost quadrate form and orange in colour. Hind wings 
rather rectangular in outline, with shallow indentations along the 
hind margin ; the ground colour is dark brown, and near the centre 
is a fulvous patch sometimes divided into two parts. Under side : — 
Fore wings much the same as above, but slightly paler. Hind 
wings mottled with hrown and grey, with a faint narrow white line 
or streak in the centre. PI. XXXII., 2. 
Time of Appearance. — March, and again from January to the 
end of July. 
Habitat. — The South of Europe and Asia Minor, its presence 
being determined by the distribution of the nettle-tree, Celtis 
Australis, which is the food-plant of the larva. This plant is not 
wild on this side of the Alps. 
Larva. — When full grown green, with a dark dorsal stripe, 
the spiracles black, the lateral stripe purplish. PI. XXXII. , 2. 
