172 
NYMPHALIDAE 
yellow to pinkish-grey, others are olive, speckled with black. 
The normal colouring is that of the yellowish form, in which 
the head, thorax and wings are more or less washed with 
gold and sparsely speckled with black and a few reddish 
markings. The pupal stage lasts from twelve to fourteen days. 
Imago. The expanse of wings in the male averages 63 mm. 
and in the female, 69 mm. The sexes are precisely similar, 
except in size, the female being the larger. The outer margins 
of the wings are scalloped. The ground colouring is rich 
mahogany-red ; on the costa of the fore wing are two black 
markings separated by a yellow spot ; the first is small, 
crossing the discoidal cell; the second is large and occupies 
the middle of the margin, curving outwardly and partly sur¬ 
rounding a very beautiful ocellus, or eye spot, variegated 
with yellow, blue, amethyst and a series of five white spots, 
three within the eye and two below. The centre of the eye 
is black and mahogany-red. The hind wing has a large black 
and metallic blue ocellus, encircled with a smoky-pearl band, 
partly bordered by a black crescentic marking extending from 
the middle of the costa. The under surface of both wings is 
shining purplish-brown, densely reticulated and striated with 
black, with the pattern of the upper surface indicated by 
darker and lighter markings and a central whitish dot in the 
hind wing. 
Life of Imago. The Peacock in its perfect state, as an 
imago, lives for about ten months. 
Aberration. Aberration in this species seldom occurs in a 
state of nature. Apparently specimens bred in captivity are 
more liable to vary, but this may be due to the vast number 
of butterflies obtainable for examination when bred in large 
quantities ; even then, striking aberrations are of great rarity. 
Occasionally, specimens have been obtained with the ocelli 
almost obliterated, or represented by pale greyish blotches 
(ab. exoculata , Weym.). Sometimes, several individuals of 
the same brood occur of a dull smoky purplish-brown colour 
and semi-transparent in place of having the normal rich 
ground colouring. 
