The expansion of the wings is about 2 inches. The fore-wings are black, becoming reddish-brown speckled with gold towards the base; _there is a very broad yellow band nearly across the middle, and one yellow and two white spots near the apex_. The hind-wings are rich reddish-brown, broadly bordered with black, especially towards the costa; there are four small black spots with blue centres near the termen, and a blue stripe bordered with black at the tornus. The under surface closely resembles that of _Vanessa gonerilla_, except that the red patch on the fore-wings is replaced by pale yellow, and the markings on the hind-wings are more sharply defined. The perfect insect appears from January till April, hibernated specimens occurring in the spring. It is very fond of selecting a perch on the top of a hill, and often engages in violent encounters with _Vanessa gonerilla_. During the contest both insects course round each other with great rapidity, and generally ascend to a considerable elevation. They almost invariably return to their former resting-places. This is a fortunate habit for the collector, as it frequently enables him to ultimately capture a specimen, which he has almost touched with the net on several previous occasions. I have noticed this propensity to return to a favourite perch in the European species of the genus _Vanessa_, so that it is most likely a congenital habit, probably of great antiquity. This insect has a fine appearance when flying; the large yellow spots on the forewings are then very conspicuous, and ensure its immediate and certain recognition. VANESSA CARDUI, L. (_Vanessa cardui_, L. _Cynthia kershawii_, McCoy, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. iv., vol. i. p. 76 (1868). _Pyrameis cardui_, var. _P. kershawii_, Butler, Erebus and Terror Lep., p. 29 (1874).) (Plate XII., fig. 1, 2 under side.) This elegant butterfly occurs throughout both islands, but is very irregular in its appearance. In some years it is quite abundant, whilst in others scarcely a specimen will be seen. During the summer of 1889-1890 it was extremely plentiful in the Wellington district, being at that time much commoner than _Vanessa gonerilla_, but its appearance in such large numbers as this was, I think, very exceptional.