This exquisite butterfly, which is about two inches in expanse, is
known in England, where it is accounted a great rarity, by the common
name Queen of Spain Fritillary, and it is not very commonly found in
Teneriffe. The caterpillar is a greyish brown with a white dorsal line,
spotted with black, and having two brownish lines on the sides. The
spines are reddish and the legs yellow. It feeds on the heartsease,
violet, etc. The upper surface is a tawny orange colour with many
distinct rounded black spots. On the under-side the hind-wings are
brownish yellow with very large oval silver spots interspersed with
smaller ones. The fore-wings have black spots of various sizes, and
five or six apical silver spots. The butterfly is found mostly on high
ground in barrancos; but also in fields and gardens from the months of
March to September, though in some years it appears earlier. It flits
quickly along the paths in the barrancos, settling at short distances,
very often just out of reach of the net, and this liveliness often
necessitates a long walk after a specimen. The antennæ are furnished
with a round thick nob at the end. There is no very marked difference
in the male and female.