THE BEAUTIFUL LADDER. 
217 
If an attempt should be made to paint the 
rich arrayal of the fifty varieties of these gaudy 
insects under inspection as we study this les¬ 
son, volumes would be required to do tliem 
justice. It may be that some other shade or 
combination could be devised, but it would 
border on the remotest edge of possibility. 
Take the peacock butterfly, for instance, which 
can be but partially reproduced even by a skil¬ 
ful artist, and mark the rich combinations, all 
laid on a ground of the softest velvet. Glance 
now at the striking contrast as seen in the pur¬ 
ple emperor. How dainty the richly-scalloped 
wings! but no pencil can give them that splen¬ 
dor of iridescence which is their chief glory. 
How it sparkles and plays among those bright 
colors as the light touches and glances over the 
wings when spread out in the sun, or gently 
sawing the air as the insect settles on the flower 
or floats gaudily by! 
“ The Lcptocirais, with its long wing-projec¬ 
tions, is equally striking, and is the brilliant 
representative of a splendidly-endowed family. 
Nor is the little Vanessa to be passed by or de¬ 
spised. Its colors are less striking, but they are 
so softly blended and velvety as to win admir- 
19 
