2S [J"iy, 



tlie shallow lateral groove begins as a broad depression, with the basal 

 fovea, and extends towards the front, gradually becoming narrower 

 and fainter. The elytra are nearly plane, smooth, and opaque, regu- 

 larly elongate-oval, with sharp lateral edges : the interstices are quite 

 flat, and the three punctures of the 3rd very well marked. The labrum 

 is broadly and distinctly emarginated. The mesosternal epimera are 

 short and broad as in the sub-genus Plaft/nus. 

 Otago. 



CTo be continuedj. 



NOTES REGARDING SOME RARE PAPILIONES. 

 BY D. GREIG RUTHERrORD, F.L.S. 



2. Papilio Homerl's, Fabr. 



Originally described by Fabricius (Ent. Syst., iii, 1, 1793) from 

 a drawing made by Jones, taken, according to Donovan (JS^at. Rep., 

 i) from a specimen in the possession of Drury ; and in 1801 more 

 fully described, and, for the first time, figured, by Esper in his " Aus- 

 liindische Schmetterlinge," this splendid Pajoilio has, until within the 

 last few years, been rarely met with in European collections. In 

 England it has, I believe, been confined to those of the British Museum, 

 the Hope Museum at Oxford, and that of the late Mr. W. C. Hewit- 

 son. This is the more remarkable, since its habitat (Jamaica) has 

 long been well known — has been frequently visited by naturalists, and 

 in all directions traversed by English travellers who, we may readily 

 conclude, would spare no pains to secure such a gorgeous and con- 

 spicuous insect, if it came in their way. 



P. Homerus has already been so well and so fully described by 

 Godart in the " Encyclopedic Methodique," and by Boisduval in the 

 first volume of his " Species Generales," that it is unnecessary for me 

 to do more than supplement their work. This I am fortunately enabled 

 to do from a comparison of a number of fine specimens recently re- 

 ceived by my friend Mr. F. J. Horniman from Jamaica, the only region 

 in which, so far as I can learn, this species has hitherto been found. 

 My comparison results in the following addition to the descriptions 

 referred to : 



Upper surface of both pairs of wings varying from dark brown to 

 deep black : transverse bands varying from a bright lemon colour to 

 rich yellow. Apical spots usually five, sometimes all but the upper 

 two suppressed. Lunules on hind wings generally five, various shades 

 of vellow, orange, or bright red, often very faint, and in some ex- 



