PAPILIO. 223 



53. Papilio thoas. (Tab. LXIX. fig. 4, right harpe.) 

 Papilio thoas, Linn. Mant. Plant, p. 536 x -, Drury, 111. Ex. Ent. i. p. 44, t. 22. ff. 1, 2 2 ; Cram. Pap. 



Ex. t. 167, A, B 3 ; Boisd. Sp. Gen. i. p. 355 4 ; Butl. & Druce, P. Z. S. 1874, p. 365 5 . 

 Princeps heroicus thoas, Hiibn. Samml. ex. Schmett. i. t. 114 6 . 

 Papilio cresphontes, Cram. Pap. Ex. t. 165 A and 166 B 7 ; Men. Cat. Mus. Petr., Supp. p. 68 8 ; 



Strecker, Cat. Butt. N. A. p. 69 9 ; Feld. Sp. Lep. pp. 22 & 69 10 . 

 Heraclides cresphontes, Scudder, Butt. East. U. S. ii. p. 1334 ". 



Alis fusco-nigricantibus ; anticis fascia extracellulari a margine interno ad angulum apicalem interdum venis 

 nigris divisa ad apicem plus minusve maculosa ochracea, macula tertia ab apice elongata, parte proxima 

 interdum macula elliptica fundi coloris fere obliterata, maculis tribus ad cellulse finem parvis subcostalibus 

 ochraceis, lunulis quatuor coloris ejusdem ab angulo anali ad fasciae medium approximantibus ; posticis 

 fascia subbasali, lunulis sex submarginalibus, ciliis inter venas et caudae spatula interne ochraceis, lunula 

 subanali rubra squamis quibusdam juxta earn glaucis : subtus colore ochraceo paginaa superioris pallidiore 

 et maculis majoribus, cellula fere omnino ochracea lineolis indistinctis fuscis radiolata, maculis octo 

 submarginalibus ochraceis; posticis fere omnino ochraceis, fascia discali extrorsum profunde serrata et 

 linea submarginali tantum nigris, ilia lunulis septem glaucis includente, maculis duabus ultra cellulam et 

 lunula subanali rubris : abdomine ochraceo medialiter supra nigricante. 



$ mari similis, sed major, fasciis et maculis omnibus ochraceis aut angustioribus aut minoribus. 



Sab. Eastern United States southward of latitude 42°, and westward to the edge 

 of the plains, Florida and Texas. — Mexico 8 , Alamos, Pinos Altos in Chihuahua (Buchan- 

 Hepburn), Tampico (Richardson), Cordova (Edge, Mumeli), Omealca near Orizaba 

 (M. Trujillo), Orizaba (F. I). G., H. J. fflwes), Ventanas in Durango (Forrer), Acagui- 

 zotla, Dos Arroyos, Atoyac, Teapa (H. H. Smith); British Honduras, R. Hondo 

 (Blancaneaux) ; Guatemala, forests of Northern Vera Paz (F. B. G. & 0. S.), Chiacam, 

 Cahabon, Panima, Chacoj (Champion), Polochic valley, Yzabal, Central valleys, San 

 Geronimo, Motagua valley, Pacific coast (F. B. G. & 0. S.) ; Honduras, San Pedro 

 (6r. M. Whitely) ; Nicaragua, Chontales (Belt) ; Costa Rica ( Van Patten 5 ) ; Panama, 

 Bugaba, David (Champion), Chiriqui (Aree), Lion Hill (M'Leannan). — South America 

 generally from Colombia and Guiana to the Argentine Republic. 



Many entomologists consider that the names P. thoas and P. cresphontes apply to two 

 distinct species, the former having a wide range in South America, the latter distributed 

 over a large portion of North and Central America. So far as we can find the points 

 of distinction have never been satisfactorily laid down, though Dr. Felder strongly 

 urges their acceptance, and so far as we can see from the large series before us no 

 tangible points of difference exist. Variation of course is present, and to a considerable 

 extent, but it is not localized in any marked degree. Specimens from Southern Brazil 

 are, as a rule, remarkably large, and have the primaries more decidedly falcate ; still 

 further south, in the Argentine Republic, the smaller form reappears. 



P. thoas is one of the commonest species of Papilio in America. In our country it 

 is to be found with the vast numbers of butterflies which frequent the damp sandy 

 banks of the rivers ; here it may be seen on the outskirts of the multitude of Callidryas 

 with quivering wings ready to take flight at the approach of danger. 



