/3 - /^36 



578. 

 PAPILIO PODALIRIUS. 



The Scarce Swallow-tail Butterfly. 



Order Lepidoptera. Fam. Papilionidae. 

 Type of the Genus, Papilio Podalirius Linn. 



Papilio Linn., &;c. 



Antennce inserted on the crown of the head, somewhat approxi- 

 mating, composed of about 30 joints, shortest at the base, ter- 

 minated by an elongated, subcompressed and curved club (1). 

 Maxillce spiral and tapering, as long as the antennee, horny and 

 smooth at the apex (3). 



Labial palpi short, not meeting, curved upward and placed close 

 to the face (7,4); very hairy, the apical joint completely con- 

 cealed (4) ; triarticulate, basal joint long, very stout and curved, 

 2nd the same length, reverse-clavate, being curved and slender 

 towards the apex, 3rd joint minute ovate (4«). 

 Head small trigonate and obtuse (7 profile, ^^ front view) : eyes large 

 prominent and ovate. Thorax robust, elongate ovate ; collar rather 

 elongated and narrow. Abdomen rather short and ovate-conic. 

 Wings closed and elevated in repose ; superior elongate-trigonate, 

 scarcely falcate, entire ; inferior scalloped, terminating in a long 

 narrow tail, the abdominal margin excised : cilia none. Legs per- 

 fect, alike in both sexes : tibise, anterior the shortest, 4 posterior of 

 equal length, with long spurs at the apex: claws simple, long, slender, 

 curved and acute ; pulvilli small. 

 Lar\'ae naked, with 6 pectoral, 8 abdominal and 2 anal feet ; furnished 

 with a furcate organ on the neck which they can exsert when alarmed. 

 Pupae attached by the tail and suspended round the middle by a thread. 



Podalirius Linn. — Curt. Guide, Gen. 763. 2. 



Whitish-yellow, superior wings wdth 3 broad black bands, the 

 2 basal ones continued down the inferior wings, the 3rd with a 

 long black spot on each side at the costa, which is orange, the 

 posterior margin with a very broad black fimbria divided by an 

 orange stripe towards the apex : inferior wings with a broad black 

 margin, an anal spot of the same colour, bearing a blue lunule, 

 orange above with a yellow margin, beneath ochreous ; posterior 

 margin with 4 or 5 blue lunules, the edges indented with ochre- 

 ous crescents, tips of the tails ochreous also. 



In the Cabinets of Mr. Read and Mr. Dale. 



Papilio, which is the type of the most beautiful family amongst 

 the insect tribes, has formed the theme of poets from the 

 earliest ages, and the Butterfly has been regarded by the 

 wisest and best men as an emblem of the human soul. Every 

 one who has observed the graceful, light and varied evolutions 

 of this charming race, must have felt admiration and delight in 

 contemplating the elegant form, combined with the beautiful 



