I 34 
NYMPHALIDAE 
ab. pryonia of Hiibner, or Papilio cos of Haworth, has the 
black basal markings and marginal band intensified and 
suffused, while the central bands are almost obsolete ; the 
hind wings are wholly blackish, excepting for a sub-marginal 
series of fulvous spots and a small discal spot, also a streak 
of the same colour along the inner margin. On the under 
side of the fore wings are two large discal spots and black 
median bars parallel to the nervures, also a sub-marginal 
series of small black dots. The hind wings have the basal 
area boldly marked with black and fulvous ; there is a broad, 
plain, creamy-white median band followed by a series of fine 
black crescents and fulvous spots ; also a sub-marginal row 
of small dusky lunules on a bright straw-yellow band. An 
example of this striking aberration was captured at “ Peckham 
near London/' in 1803. This notable insect was figured in 
Stephens’ “ Illustrations of British Entomology," 1828, and 
was copied into Humphrey and Westwood's “ British Butter¬ 
flies," 1841 ; and again figured in The Entomologist, 1877. 
In 1834, when Haworth's collection was sold, this specimen 
was bought by Dr. Ashburton, and was afterwards purchased 
by Stevens, whose collection was likewise sold in 1900, when 
it again changed hands. On June 23rd, 1907, while collecting 
in Abbot’s Wood, Sussex, I captured a similar and very 
beautiful example of this handsome 44 sport " and know of 
no other specimen of this particular recurrent aberration 
(ab. cos) having been taken in this country during the long 
period of 104 years. All such extreme forms of aberration 
are always of great rarity. 
Genus VANESSA, Fabricius, 1807 
THE RED ADMIRAL 
Vanessa atalanta (Linn., 1758). 
(Plate XI, facing page 144) 
This strikingly beautiful butterfly is in certain seasons a 
very common ornament of the garden and countryside. 
Although in many respects it is very closely allied to the 
