The expansion of the wings is from 2½ to 2¾ inches. "The fore-wings are
black, with a broad deep red central band, and with one large and five
small white spots near the apex. The hind-wings are black, with a broad
deep red band at the termen, in which are four black spots; at the tornus
is a large blue-and-black spot."[61]
Mr. T. W. Kirk states[62] that he captured a specimen of this familiar
English butterfly in the Wellington Botanical Gardens, in the summer of
1881. On a subsequent occasion he saw several others. No specimens have
since been detected.