S-1141001_COMPLETO.pdf

78 COMMA.
the sunshine, too soon to be obscured by the clouds which
the "Wandering Winds" of that early season unwelcomely
interpose.
The caterpillar feeds on the elm, willow, honeysuckle, and
other trees, and the hop, nettle, and other plants.
The wings extend to the width of from an inch and three
quarters to rather over two inches. The fore Avings are a
beautiful rich fulvous orange colour; the outer margins are
dark orange broAvn, darkest in the middle, and lighter at each
extremity. There are three black patches on the front edge,
the outer one fading into the fulvous brown of the border, the
next lighter brown at its upper edge, and the next some little
Avay within the extreme margin; beneath these are one larger
and two smaller black spots of irregular shapes. The hind wings
are dusky at the base and at the outer corner, their ground
colour is also fulvous orange, the border darker, edged with
cream-colour. Inside it is a TOAV of pale buff crescents, forming,
as it Avere, the centre of a band of a darker brown than the
rest of the Aving, which, divided by them, leaves a series of
blots following the shape of the margin. On the centre of the
fore edge is a large black patch, and beneath it, on the inner
side, another smaller one.
Underneath, the fore wings are elegantly variegated Avith
transverse marks of rich broAvn, grey, Avhitish grey, and metallic
green, in which latter are small black specks. The hind wings
are marked in much the same way, with a white C in the
middle, Avhence the name of the insect, both scientific and
vernacular.
The whole under side varies very much in different individuals,
and in the spring and autumnal broods. In some it is almost
wholly of a uniform dull metallic bronze brown colour. In
others, the border is of an exceedingly rich brown, and the
whole surface much variegated.
The caterpillar is of a brownish red colour; the back reddish
in front, and the hinder part white; it is remarkable for the
sides of the head having two projections, which are bristled, as
are also the spines on the body.