LEPIDOPTERA. 
i :j 
liancy that of some of the South American insects. It 
is a strong flyer, and makes his throne on the lofty 
branches of oak trees. Entomologists of former days 
used a ring-net, fastened on the end of a rod thirty or 
forty feet long, an instrument which must require some 
practice to handle with effect. But now, collectors 
wait till his majesty descends from his throne, and comes 
to the ground for eating or drinking, in which matters 
he is not so particular as befits imperial purple, for he 
prefers muddy places to drink from—water containing 
much “ body ”—to borrow a phrase from the wine mer¬ 
chant. Dead dogs and cats, in a high and semi¬ 
fluid state of decomposition, are favourite food, and 
if such baits are placed in places where these butter¬ 
flies occur, specimens may be secured without difficulty, 
his majesty being too much occupied with his meal 
to be scared away. Woods in the south of England 
are this butterfly's localities. I have never heard 
of any specimen being seen in Shropshire or Stafford¬ 
shire. The larva is pale green, with oblique yellow 
lines, and a yellow stripe on each side. On the head 
are two snail-like tentacles or horns ; it feeds on poplars 
and sallows, in May. I should mention that the under 
sides of the Emperor's wings are prettily marbled with 
red, white, and brown. The Fritillaries are pretty mem¬ 
bers of this same family ; they all have metallic spots and 
marks on the under surface of the lower wings, giving to 
them a burnished silver appearance. There are several 
British species belonging to the genera Argynnis and 
Melitcea ; the lame are spiny, and feed generally on 
wild violets. 
The Erycinidse family has only one British species : 
