Page:Jardine Naturalist's Library Foreign Butterflies.djvu/181

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149

Genus VANESSA.


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