RHOPA LOCERA : BUTTERFLIES. 



Antennje simple, clubbed or capitate. 



No ocelli. 



No frenulum. 



Both the upper and under side are usually 

 brightly coloured. Butterflies fly by day, and 

 when resting hold their wings upright, or 

 closed, with the upper surfaces in contact. 



The caterpillars are provided with sixteen 

 legs. In some genera they are smooth, e. g. 

 Papilio; in others spiny, as in Vanessa; with 

 fleshy tubercles studded with hair, as in Thais; 

 or again woodlouse-shaped, as in Lycanida. 

 They live for the most part exposed on plants, 

 often gregariously. 



The pupee are generally suspended by the 

 tail, hanging head downwards; some are sup- 

 ported by a band of silk round the body, 

 but are attached by the tail in addition; in 

 these the head points upwards. Only a few 

 of the pupae are met with on or in the ground. 



FAMILY 



PAPILIONID^. 



To this family belongs the Swallow-tail, 

 the largest of our British butterflies. The 

 fore wings of the Papilionida: are broad, and 

 the hind wings have a long tail towards the 

 anal angle. The caterpillars are provided with 

 a bifid fleshy organ behind the head, which 

 they protrude when disturbed, and which emits 

 a strong odour. The butterflies frequent open 

 spaces in woods, meadows, and on hill-sides. 

 The pupa; are attached by the tail and by a 

 thread round the body. 



Genus Papilio, Linn. 



P. podalirius, Linn. The Scarce Swallow- 

 tail. PI. I. fig. I. Caterpillar la. Chrysalis ib. 



This beautiful insect is common in many 

 parts of the Continent, and prefers hilly places. 

 The caterpillar lives from July till September 

 on sloe and whitethorn, and in the South also 

 on almond trees. Var. feisthamelii, Herr. 

 Schafi". has the ground colour of the wings 

 almost white. It occurs in Spain. Var. 

 zanclaeus, ZelL, which is white on the ab- 

 domen, is found in Southern Europe. 



P. machaon, Linn. The Swallow-tail. 

 PI. I. fig. 2. Caterpillar 2a. Chrysalis 2b. 



This insect seems to have been formerly 

 widely distributed throughout England, but it 

 is now almost confined to the fenny districts 

 which still remain in the Eastern counties, 

 especially Norfolk and Suffolk. It frequents 

 open woods and meadows in May, June, and 

 August. The caterpillars are black at first, 

 but as they grow larger become green, with 

 black rings spotted with red. They feed on 

 fennel and carrot. 



P. alexanor, Esp. is found in some of the 

 mountains of Southern Europe. 



P. hospiton, Gene, is found in the moun- 

 tainous districts of Corsica and Sardinia. 



Genus Thai's, Fabr. 



The wings are rounded and dentated, the 

 hind wings longer, the fore wings narrower 

 than in the last Genus. The caterpillars are 

 armed with spines, which are placed at the 

 extremity of tubercular elevations. 



T. polyxena, W. V., PI. I. fig. 3. occurs in 

 South-Eastem Germany and Southern France. 

 It appears in the Spring. The caterpillar is 

 found about August feeding on Aristolochia 

 clematidis. There is a darker variety called 

 Cassandra, Hfibn. found in Italy and the South 



