This butterfly is one of the most beautiful Fritillarys, and is also
one of the largest of Teneriffe butterflies, measuring in expanse from
three and a half to four inches.
It mostly frequents woods and meadows, not often being met with below
an altitude of fifteen hundred feet above the sea. It is found in South
Europe, and is also met with in Africa. The time of its appearance
commences in May, and continues during the summer months. The larva is
purplish-brown with black markings; it feeds on heartsease. The upper
and under side differ greatly, as may be seen in the illustrations. The
prevailing colour of the upper surface is a beautiful bronze green,
tinged with yellow on the fore-wings. The bronze green colour is freely
marked all over by velvety black oblong spots, dashes, and lines,
the margin of each wing having a continuous scalloped line of black.
The body and hind-wings are very feathered and downy. The underside
of the fore-wings is a brilliant pink-red and black colour, with an
apical patch of green, having yellow markings. The hind-wings are green
with a long irregular stripe of silver down the centre of each, the
stripe being fringed on the outer edge by five silver dots. There is a
marginal silver band with a fine yellow line running along the outer
edge of the hind-wings. The body is green on the upper, and buff-yellow
on the under-side, the legs being of the latter colour. There is not
much difference between the male and female.