The insects referred to this genus, which is well known as having many handsome representatives in Britain, are distributed over almost every quarter of the globe. Besides those which occur in this country, many others are found on the continent of Europe, and they are equally abundant in tropical regions. Contrary to what is observed in most other instances, the species inhabiting the latter are in general not superior in size or richness of colours to those of temperate latitudes; our own V. Atalanta will contrast favourably with any of them. Among the few exceptions to this remark, in respect to size, may be mentioned V. Arsinoe and the rare species figured on the adjoining plate. The latter is

VANESSA JULIANA.
PLATE XV. Fig. 1.

Sodart.—Pap. N. Juliana, Fabr.—Pap. Juliana, Cramer, Pl. 280, fig. A, B.—Herbst. Pap. Pl. 220, fig. 1, 2.

It is the largest of the VanessÆ, measuring nearly five inches across the upper wings. The surface is dull brown, with a broad common transverse band of greenish white, placed between the middle and the external margin of the wings. On the upper wings this band is composed of a double series of spots, the interior ones small and crescent-shaped, the exterior large and oval with a large black mark in the centre: on the under wings it is more continuous, with a row of white lunules externally, and two large ocelli, remote from each other, having a blue pupil and a yellow iris. The under side is much paler than the upper, and the band on the anterior wings is nearly as entire as in the posterior pair.

This conspicuous species is a native of the island of Amboina.

VANESSA AMATHEA.
PLATE XV. Fig. 2.

Pap. N. Amathea, Linn. Fabr.—Pap. Amalthea, Cramer, Pl. 209, fig. A, B.

The surface of the wings in this pretty insect is dark brown approaching to black, with a broad band of deep red running across the centre of both wings, but scarcely reaching the anal angle, and bifid at its anterior extremity: beyond this on the anterior wings are two transverse rows of small white spots, both of them irregular; and on the hinder pair a single row-of similar spots: the notches on the margins of the wings are also whitish. The under side is much paler than the surface, but the markings are similar. Body dull black above; antennÆ of the same colour, with the extremity of the club reddish. Expansion of the wings from two inches to two and a quarter.

A South American species, inhabiting Brazil, Guiana, &c.

VANESSA ORITHYA.
PLATE XV. Fig. 3.

This very elegant species, which is a native of China and the island of Java, is subject to much variation in its colour and markings. In its most ordinary state the colour of the surface is velvet-black in the male and dark brown in the female, with two large ocelli on each wing having a violet-blue pupil and a yellowish-red iris. The costa of the primary wings is generally dull white, and towards the base are two or three transverse stripes alternately blue and tawny-yellow; towards the apex are three whitish bands, the interior one broadest, the middle one interrupted by the ocellus, the third narrow and lying along the external margin. The secondary wings are surrounded by a white band divided throughout its whole length by a double undulating black line; the space between this band and the middle of the wing bluish-green in the male, a colour which scarcely appears in the female, and the anterior portion generally black in the former sex. Under side pale, the transverse stripes much elongated and six in number; the under wings greyish-brown or greyish-white, with several obscure undulating lines towards the base, with a row of four or five unequal ocelli having a blue iris in the female, but almost obsolete in the male. Body black above, greyish beneath.

The figure represents a variety of the female, the same as that delineated by Cramer.

The caterpillar, beset with branched spines, is of a black colour with numerous scattered white points, and has a white line along each side above the legs, and two rows of yellowish brown spots.

CHARAXES JASIUS.
PLATE XVI.

The genus Charaxes was separated from Nymphalis by Ochsenheimer for the reception of this butterfly, which may be regarded as the most beautiful inhabiting Europe. It varies in the expansion of the wings from three to four inches; the surface a rich silky brown, changing slightly with the light. Along the hinder margin of the primary wings there is a broad fulvous band, more or less sinuated on the inner side and narrowly edged with black externally, divided by eight nervures, which are dark brown ; rather beyond the middle of the wing, a transverse band of large fulvous continuous spots extends from the costa to the inner margin, and is sometimes continued for a short way on the secondary wings; the latter likewise with a posterior band, formed of contiguous spots of a fulvous colour, more or less tinged with green, preceded by a series of from five to seven bluish-green spots, commencing at the anal angle; the margin itself black, as well as the projecting angles, two of which are prolonged into tails. Beneath, the anterior portion of all the wings is rust-red, marked with spots and transverse stripes of olive-brown, encircled with white; beyond this there is a white band of a satiny lustre, bordered externally on the upper wings with dusky lunules; the space beyond these lunules is fulvous, traversed by a band of slate-grey, with a series of black spots, inclining to triangular, on the inner side of it. Beyond the white band on the secondary wings there is a row of ferruginous spots, succeeded by an olive-coloured space bearing a row of violet-blue points; the posterior band similar to that on the upper side. Head and thorax rust-brown; abdomen dull brown, with greyish hairs; antennÆ black, proboscis shining rust-red.

The female scarcely differs in appearance from the male, except in having the under side of the hinder wings finely sprinkled in the middle with blue points.

“The Jasius butterfly is one of the largest, rarest, and most beautiful of the European diurnal Lepidoptera. It occurs in the southern countries of France, for example, in the neighbourhood of Lyons, the Isles d’HiÈres, near Toulon and Montpellier; also in Italy, Sicily, Corsica, some parts of Northern Africa, and in Asia Minor. Lefebure de Cerisy of Toulon has payed considerable attention to the metamorphoses of this fine insect. The caterpillar, which in its early stage is green, becomes afterwards of a yellowish hue, and its skin is as it were shagreened and transversely plaited. Its head is singularly armed with four vertical yellow horns tipped with red, of which the two intermediate are the longest. A yellow line passes along each side of the body in the region of the stigmata, and the back is marked with four indistinct orange spots. The true feet are black, the membranous ones green. It feeds on the leaves of the strawberry tree, and never eats except during the night. Its habits are very lethargic. During day-light it remains fixed and motionless on its favourite plant, which it resembles in colour, and thus escapes observation. The chrysalis is smooth, thick, carinated, and of a coriaceous texture, the colour pale green. Two broods or flights of the perfect insect are produced each year, the first in June, the second in September. The caterpillars of the autumnal brood survive the winter, and are not transformed into chrysalids till the ensuing May. The perfect insects are then produced in about fifteen days. These speedily deposit their eggs, which are hatched in June, and after three months occupied in the usual transformations, the second flight appears in September, and continues the race in the manner above mentioned. In many parts of France the butterfly is named the Pacha with two Tails33”.

NYMPHALIS ETHEOCLES.
PLATE XVII. Fig. 1.

Pap. Etheocles, Fabr.—Cramer, Pl. 119, fig. D, E.—Nymph. Etheocles, Godart.

This and the following species present an outline very similar to that of C. Jasius, and they might even, without much impropriety, he referred to the same genus; but, as there are several points of difference, and as we are yet unacquainted with the caterpillars, it may he preferable in the mean time to allow them to remain in the situation they occupied in Latreille’s arrangement.

N. Etheocles is a native of Africa, and is found chiefly on the coast of Guinea. It is nearly of the size of C. Jasius; the surface greenish-black, with a broad white band running obliquely across the middle of the wings; on the primary wings this band is divided into spots and contracted anteriorly, having a group of three or four small white spots on the inner side near its origin. Besides the white band, which is regular and continuous, the under wings have a row of white crescents parallel with the hinder border, succeeded by a black line, the border itself of a lighter green than the general ground colour, and having a few rust-coloured crescent-shaped marks. On the under side the prevailing colour is pale brown, somewhat glossy, with a white band similar to that described; three ocellated spots are observable at the base of the upper wings, and in the same situation on the other pair are three black transverse lines edged with blue. The internal angle of the superior wings bears a double black spot, and a series of violet lunules runs along the hinder border of the under wings; the border itself green marked with a row of black points.

NYMPHALIS TIRIDATES.
PLATE XVII. Fig. 2 and 3.

Extent of the wings nearly four inches, the surface very dark blue approaching to black, the nervures brown; beyond the middle are two transverse rows of small round spots of pale blue, and along the hinder margin a series of small dull yellow crescents. The ground colour beneath is brownish-grey, somewhat glossy; the superior wings having a few transverse waved streaks of black edged with blue towards the base, then a few yellow streaks succeeded by a pretty regular row of yellow spots, and on the internal angle are two black spots, partially or wholly surrounded with blue and surmounted by yellow crescents: under wings marked in a manner somewhat similar to the upper pair at the base; the hinder margin with a continuous row of violet ocellated spots, preceded and followed by a row of yellow lunules; tails rather short and slender, brown; body dark brown above with four whitish points on the head, the under side inclining to yellow, antennÆ black, the palpi yellow beneath.

Found in the islands of Java and Amboina.

PERIDROMIA ARETHUSA.
PLATE XVIII. Fig. 1, Fem.

This genus has lately been proposed for the reception of a few species formerly classed among the Nymphales. They are remarkable for having the surface covered with blue markings on a dark ground, and in other respects seem to be entitled to generic distinction. The neuration of the wings presents the annexed arrangement.—The caterpillar (at least of P. Amphinome) bears some resemblance to that of Morpho. It is long and attenuated behind, the anal extremity deeply forked, and the head armed with eight strong unequal spines, resembling a kind of coronet. The chrysalis is elongated, bifid anteriorly, and having a series of dorsal spines. They are natives of the New World. The male of the species above referred to is of a deep black colour on the surface, with a silky gloss, sprinkled with numerous small blue spots; the female is larger, and besides markings similar to those of the male, has a broad white band in the middle of each of the superior wings lying obliquely, and terminating in a point. The whole of the under side, in both sexes, is shining brown with a very slight tinge of green; the hinder wings with ten rounded bright red spots, three near the base, two on the interior edge, and five forming a row on the hinder margin towards the anal angle. The white band is likewise conspicuous on the under side of the female, and in place of it, in the male, there is a bluish interrupted oblique line; body black above and spotted with blue; brown beneath, with red spots on the breast.

This beautiful species is a native of Brazil.

PERIDROMIA AMPHINOME.
PLATE XVIII. Fig. 2.

Bears considerable resemblance to the preceding on the upper side, the ground colour being glossy black, the whole surface variegated with waved streaks and spots of greenish-blue; these markings frequently assume the appearance of hieroglyphics, and towards the hinder margin of the inferior wings they indistinctly represent a series of oval ocelli. Both sexes have a broad oblique white band across the upper wings, but it is sinuated on the edges, while in the female of P. Arethusa the edges are always entire. On the under side the general colour is brown; the upper wings with a triangular red patch at the base, the colour between this and the central white band is black glossed with green; beyond the white band are two rows of white points, one of them lying along the margin. The under wings have the anterior half red, that colour divided by rays of greenish-black, which occupies the whole of the hinder portion, except where it is interrupted by a few whitish spots. Body coloured like the wings above, greyish beneath, the breast red.

We are indebted to Madam Merian for a representation of the caterpillar, the peculiar appendages of which have been already mentioned. The colour of its body is a delicate green, with longitudinal rays alternately blue and yellow; the pectoral legs black; the head dull yellow. It feeds on the Jasminum Indicum. The chrysalis is of a yellow colour.

The insect inhabits various parts of South America, in some places rather plentifully.

MARIUS THETIS.
PLATE XIX. Fig. 134.

Pap. Thetis, Fabr.—Nymph. Thetis, Godart.—Pap. Petreus, Cramer, Pl. 87, fig. D, E; Stoll’s Supp. Pl. 2, fig. 2, A, (caterpillar), fig. 2, B, (chrysalis); Swainson’s Zool. Illus. Pls. 59 and 110.