meet the ey e in every direction, varying from a silvery green to the deepest purple ;
and the whole surface glittering with the resplendence o f highly polished metal.
This splendid species was long confused with Papilio Menelans o f Linnæus, the
authors o f the Encyclopédie Méthodique, however, cleared up the confusion, proving
them to be quite distinct. The species, and indeed the entire group to which it belongs,
are, however, natives o f South America. Sulzer, indeed, states tliat his specimen came
from China, and evidently on this authority Donovan introduced the species into this
work.
Thca L a x a ( Bohea, or broa d -k a ved Tea J, is figured in the plate. Sir G. Staunton
says, the bohea tea is supplied in China from the province o f Fochen ; the green tea from
Kiang-naii. The leaves o f these teas vary in some degree in form according to the age
ot tlie plant ; those o f the bohea are the broadest ; Th ea stricta has much longer leaves,
they are lanceolated, and more deeply serrated than those o f the bohea. Many authors
have considered them varieties o f the same species. It flowers in England in August and
September.
A C R .EA VE STA .
P la te 30. fig. 1 .
F .v m il y . H e l ic o s i id a ;, Svjai?iso;i.
G e n u s . A c r .c a , F a b r ic iu s . (H e l ic o n ia p . F a b r ic iu s o lim .)
C n . S p . a . alis oblongis integerrimis, u trin q u e corticinis ; omnium su p ra limbo poste riori
fusco serieque p u n c to rum in te rru p to . E x p an s . a la r. 2 ^ u nc .
A. with th e wings o blong and entire , o f a pa le yellow brown ; with a d a rk brown
b orde r in which a re white spots. E x p a n s e o f th e wings 2 i inches.
S y.v. P ap ilio (H e lic .) Ve sta , Jo n e s. F a b r . E n t . S y s t . 3. 1. p . 163. E n c . M é th . IX . p.
2 3 3 .
Papilio Te rpsichore , Crame r P a p . p i . 2 9 8 . / . A. B . C.
Papilio Vesta is the only insect o f the Heliconii division o f Butterflies described by
Fabricius as peculiar to China, in his E n t. S y st., the majority being inhabitants o f Africa.
It is a rare species. Th e P a p ilio Vesta o f Cramer is a very different insect, being the
P . E ra to o f Fabricius.
à