1878.] 5 



The great antiquity, not only of tlie existing orders of insects, but 

 even, in many cases, of their families and genera, as compared with 

 the Vertebrata, and the very small amount of change which has taken 

 place in them during the geological record is remarkable. 



The truth of this assertion will be evident to any one who com- 

 pares the fossil Insecta, even from the older formations, with the 

 remains of animals of almost any other classes which existed during 

 the same period. 



Compare, for instance, the fossils of the English Lias with the 

 existing orders of animals : the insect remains of this period have been 

 referred by Professor Westwood* and the Eev. P. B. Brodie, to Gara- 

 hidce, Telephoridce, Elateridce, CurcuUonidce, Chrysomelided, Slattidce, 

 Gryllidce, &c., all represented at the present day ; but with regard to 

 the Vertebrata, where are the representatives at the present day of 

 the Saurians, the flying lizards, and other gigantic reptiles of the Lias ? 



" When we consider," says Mr. A. R.Wallace, in his "Greographical 

 distribution of animals," " that almost the only Vertebrata of this 

 "period («. e., the Lias), w^ere huge Saurian reptiles like the Ichthyo- 

 " saurus, Plesiosaurus, and Dinosaurus, with the flying Pterodactyles ; 

 " and that the great mass of our existing genera, and even families, of 

 " fish and reptiles had almost certainly not come into existence, we see 

 " at once that types of insect form are proportionately far more 

 " ancient. At this remote epoch, we find the chief family types (the 

 " genera of the time of Linnaeus) perfectly differentiated and recog- 

 "nisable." 



In the next paper, I propose to treat of the comparative age of 

 the existing orders of insects, and the sequence in which they respec- 

 tively appeared on the geological horizon. 

 Surbiton Hill : 1st May, 1878. 



NOTES EEaAEDINQ SOME EAEE PAPILIONES. 

 BY D. GREia RUTHERFORD, F.L.S. 



1. Papilio antimachus, Drury. 



The recent addition to Mr. F. J. Horniman's collection of African 

 Lepidoptera of two fine specimens of this handsome butterfly, has in- 

 duced me to put together such information concerning it as I have 

 been able to acquire, from various sources, during the last few years. 



* See " A History of the Fossil Insects in the Secondary Rocks of England," by the Rev. P. 

 B. Brodie, M.A., F.G.S., with introductory observations by Professor Westwood. London, 1345. 



