BUTTERFLIES OF THE CENTRAL PROVINCES. 329 



pale yellow, while the other is of a darker colour. As far as I can 

 speak from experieuoe, the pale ones are the fresh specimens while 

 he darker ones are older ones, fur when captured the darker ones 

 are generally more ragged than their paler brethren. I do not 

 remember to have seen any dark ones produced from the numbers- 

 of larvae that I have had in confinement. There is no d-mbt that 

 P. erithonins is a very variable species, varying not only in the above- 

 mentioned feature, but in the disposition of the yellow and black 

 markings, and also in the eye-spots at the anal angle and apex of 

 the hiudwing of both upper and undersides. This butterfly has a 

 vigorous and bold flight. The eg;<^ is globular and smooth anci of a 

 pale yellow colour. It is easily found on the tender and young 

 leaves and shoots of the trees mentioned above. 



113. Papilio polytes, Linnaeus. Thi- and P. pammon are one 

 and the same species. It is the common black and white " swallow- 

 tail" to be found almost everywhere. The prevailing colour is black 

 or very deep brown, and in the male this is relieved by a border of 

 white or pale yellowish spots to the forewing and a line of larger 

 similar spots on the hiudwing. On the underside the colouring is 

 much the same, but there are in addition on the hiridwing a few 

 reddish and blue markings. It has three forms of female — the 

 first almost exactly resembles the male, the second is a mimic of 

 P. aristolochicB, and the third imitates P. hector. All four forms, that 

 is one male and three females, have a spatulate tail to each hiudwing. 

 The second form of the female has a series of brick -red or claret- 

 coloured marks following the direction of the margin of the hind- 

 wing, and there is a conspicuous white patch in the middle of that 

 wing. The ground-colour of the forewing, which is black or dark 

 brown, is much paler on the outer half ; underneath the colouring 

 is much the same as above, but paler in the forewing and brighter 

 in the hiudwing. The third form of the female has on the forewing 

 two broad white bars at about right-angles to the costa of the wing. 

 The inner bar is broader and longer than the outer. The hindwin" 

 has the white patch in form No. 2 replaced by a claret-coloured patch. 

 The colouring underneath is very much the same as it is above. 

 The larva of this butterfly resembles that of P. erithonius very 

 closely, but is rather paler in tone I think. It also feeds on trees 



