( 686 ) 



(1835) (summer form) ; Lucas, in Gui5r., Diet. PHI. Hid. Nal. vii. p. 4') (1838) ; Doubl., [J^l 



Lep. Jus. Brit. ilus. i. p. 8 (1845) ; id., ia Westw.. .1 re. Ent. i. p. Gl (1845) (Virginia, Uhio. etc.) ; 



Doubl., Westw. .t Hew., Geii. Diimi. Lep. i. p. 15. n. 13-2 (ISlCi) ; Kirtl., Proe. Ent. Sor. L,mtl. 



(2). i. p. 101 (1851) (differ.s from ajnx in flight) ; Mem'tr., Eitum. Corp. Aniin. Petrop., Lip, i. 



p. 3. n. 46 (1857) ; Newm., Prne. Ent. Soe. Phihd. i. p. 2G (ISGI) (N. Jersey ; on Paicpan-) ; 



Morris, Si/n. Lep. X. Am. i. p. a. n. 12 (1862) ; Weidem., Proc. Ent. Soc. Philml. iii. p. 14G (180:!) 



{^ajax'i); Kirkp., Prvc. Ent. Soc. Phihid. iii. p. 328 (18G4) (Cleveland, Ohio, common); 



'Eifi., Amer. Entom. ii. p. 305 (1870) (ovipositing): id., C'««a(/. Ent. iii. p. 70 (1870) (bred); 



Saund., ibid. vi. p. 140 (1874) (Essex Co.) ; Ison, R'-pl. Ent. Soc. Ontario p. 15 (187G) (Cleveland, 



rather common) ; Moffat, //</(/. p. 10 (1881) (Long Point & Ridgeway) ; Mundt, Cnnad. Enl. 



XV. p. 80 (1883) (Pontiac, lUin., May and later) ; Saund., ibid. xvi. p. 50 (1881) (Lake Erie) ; 



id., Rppt. Enl. Soc. Ontario xv. p. 20 (1885) (Point Pelee, L. Erie) ; Pack., Fifth lirpt. I'.S. 



Ent. Coinm. p. &&'i (1800) (larva on Asimina triloba) ; Moffat, Rept. Ent. So_'. IJnIario xxvii. 



p. 70 (1807) (London, Ont.) ; Bethune, ibid, xxviii. p. 33 (1808) (Pt. Hope); id., ibid. xxx. 



p. 101 (1000) (Pt. Hope). 

 Pupllio protesilau.i " Drury," Reitzenstein, Cal. Lep. N. Orleans (18G3) (Greville, rare ; —doubtless 



an error of identification, probably form of marcellus). 

 Pathysa marcellus, Reakirt, Proc. Ent. Soc. Philad. iii. p. 504 (18G4). 

 Papilio iijax var. marcellus, Fletcher, Canad. Ent. xxxi. p. 8 (1800) (Cowichan Rd., Vancouver I., 



strange occurrence !). 



Owing to Linnti's short and vague descriptions, and his freqnent quotation of 

 figures and previous descriptions which have nothing to do with the animal 

 descrilied, the uomenclature of many Linnean species is much involved. Tbe 

 nomenclatorial difficulties created by Linn^ have often been enhanced by post- 

 Linnean authors, many of whom were quite arbitrary in the application of names 

 and non-critical to an amazing degree. However, the difficnlties would have long 

 disappeared to a great extent, if the authors of the second third of the nineteenth 

 century, when it was still early enough to mend matters without much inconvenience, 

 had had the courage of being thorough in nomenclatorial matters. The Asimina 

 Swallowtail of North America, usually called ajax Linne, is a striking instance. 



The Swallowtails found in the Atlantic States are all common insects. Tbere 

 occur five species, not counting the southern species F. palamedcs and polydaimm. 

 As three of the five are recognisably described by Linn^ in Syst. Nat. ed. x. and 

 later, there remain two — namely, the A.simina Swallowtail allied to the European 

 jjodalirius and the Parsnip Swallowtail allied to machaon. For which of the two 

 species did Linn^ propose the name ajax f 



Linne's description in St/st. Nat. ed. x. p. 462 (1758) is as follows : 



Ajax. 26. P.E. alis obtuse caudatis concoloribns fuscis ; fasciis flavcsceutibus, 

 angulo ani fulvo. 

 Raj. ins. III. /(. 2. Edii\ ai\ 34. 

 Habitat iu America boreali. 



This description certainly does not fit the Asimina Swallowtail, which has a 

 red anal angle ; but applies very well to the Parsnip Papilio, Linne describing tlie 

 similar, but more extended yellow machaon as follows : 



Machaon. 27. P.E. alis caudatis concoloribns flavis ; fasciis fnscis : angulo 

 ani fulvo. 



AVe draw attention to avyulo nni fnleo appearing in both dcscrij)tions. 



Linne quotes two j)revious authors under ajax. H<iwever, the insects described 

 by Eay and the one described and figured by Edwards are not only widely different 

 from one another, but Linne's description fits neither the one nor the other. The 

 insect of Ray is doubtless the yellow female or the male of Papilio glaucus. Kay's 

 description is as follows : 



