148 THE entomologist's record* 



hundred yards in order to find a suitable place for pupation. Like 

 F. machaon, but unlike /. ajax, it always moves forwards, and turns 

 completely round rather than go backwards. 



(y) Laertias pJiilenor always spins a somewhat large quantity of 

 silk at all stages of its life in order to afford itself a secure foothold 

 when undergoing ecdysis, but I have not noticed it doing so at any 

 other time. 



(10) Miscellaneous. — The red brown immature larvae of L. philenor 

 massed together on the underside of its large leaves of Aristolochia sipho 

 bear a somewhat striking resemblance to the brown blotches which 

 form on the sun-burnt leaves, but rather later in life the larvae seem to 

 court exposure {cf. antea). I have kept them in large quantities out- 

 of-doors in a kitchen garden full of insectivorous birds, but have never 

 seen either a larva or pupa attacked by one. Mice will eat the pupas, 

 but even in winter the birds refuse them. The ichneumon fly which 

 infests 1\ machaon never stings L. philenor, and, out of all the pupse 

 which I have received from America, I have never found one containing 

 Troijus e.resorius, the pest of the Nearctic Papilionids. I have seen 

 wasps hover round the half-grown larv^ but have never seen these 

 attacked by them. 



The imaginal habit of ovipositing in masses, unlike the other 

 Papilios with which I am acquainted, probably arises from this 

 security from foes, and both the imago and larva are less easily 

 frightened than those of other members of the family. The larvae are 

 exceedingly sociable in all stages, and it is no uncommon sight for one 

 to find a batch composed of larvae of various sizes, from one just 

 hatched, to those two-thirds grown, feeding amicably together in ranks. 

 It is a curious fact that, whilst the starving larva of this species will 

 devour the newly-formed pupa, I have never seen it attack another 

 larva even when quite small and defenceless. Being pharmacophagous 

 it is probably attracted to the pupa by the latter's protective smell of 

 Aristolochia, but, though its fellow larvae must be equally impregnated 

 with the juices of that plant, it evidently recognises them as kinsmen. 

 When Scudder says that L. philenor is a slow feeder I do not think he 

 is quite accurate, as this species is not only a more rapid eater but feeds 

 for longer hours than 1'. machaon, it is one of the most voracious larvae I 

 have ever watched. Indeed, though the length of the time it spends in 

 undergoing ecdysis, is far longer than P. machaon, it feeds up in the 

 same surroundings in a rather shorter time. 



■ After changing its skin the larva of L. philenor, particularly in its 

 later stages, is unusually flaccid and helpless, and takes a longer time 

 at least in our English summers, before it is fit to feed again, than 

 either P. machaon or J', asterias. 1 can confirm Scudder's account of the 

 peculiar habit that the adult larva of L. philenor (4th and 5th stages) 

 has of drumming with its thoracic legs on leaves both when feeding 

 or half-resting. I have also seen it do so on the backs of its 

 companions, or even when suspended for pupation ; but surely he is 

 w^rongwhen he says that L. philenor cannot extrude its osmaterium when 

 changing skins (vol. ii., p. 1294). I have almost always succeeded in 

 inducing it to do so, and it will do so even when it has been suspended 

 for pupation for two days. I have found L. philendr larvje use their 

 osmateria readily in all stages. The quiescent time preceding pupation 

 after suspension lasts, in fine weather, about two and & half lo three 

 days on an average, 



