S-1141001_COMPLETO.pdf

WOOD RINGLET. 39
half to nearly two inches. The whole of the upper surface
is very dark rich brown. The fore wings have one or two
small eyes, dark brown, edged with light brown, more or less
distinct in different specimens, near their hind margin. The
hind wings have two or more similar eyes near their margins,
one or two of them with white specks in the centre.
Underneath, the ground-colour is a much lighter brown.
The eyes on both the fore and hind wings are much larger
than above, there being generally three near the outer angle
of the upper wings, the rim, eye, and dot being more or less
indistinct, and five much more distinct ones on the hind wings,
two and three, the latter inside, but following the lower outer
margin, and the former, between the base of the wing and
its outside corner, near the fore edge.
The caterpillar is of a greyish white colour, with a slender
black line along the back, and sometimes, Mr. Westwood says,
it is entirely blackish.
This Butterfly is an exceedingly variable one. In some
specimens the eyes are very large, and connected together,
accompanied by smaller satellite ones. In some the eyes are
wholly obliterated on the fore wings, and indeed, strictly
speaking, on the hind wings too, there being in their place
three minute white specks. A very extensive series of varieties
may easily be procured. J. C. Dale, Esq. has one with un­
equal spots on the opposite wings, and Mr. Wailes, of Newcastle,
one with no spot whatever, either above or below.
The figures are taken from specimens in my own collection.