2 SOUTH-AFRICAN BUTTERFLIES. 



or rather short. The Papilioninm have in the fore-ivings the first disco- 

 cellular nervule almost always well developed ; the third disco-cellular 

 nervule so disposed in relation to the median nervure that the lower 

 radial appears to be a fourth median nervule ; the sub -costal nervure 

 always five-branched (except in Parnassms and Hypermnestra, where 

 it is four-branched) ; the interno-median nervule present in four genera ; 

 and the internal nervure always present (except in Doritis), and running 

 to a free termination on the inner margin ; in the hind-ivings the inner 

 margins are concave (often folded back), leaving the abdomen perfectly 

 free, and the internal nervure is wanting ; the precostal nervure is 

 branched, and forms with the costal nervure a small prediscoidal cell 

 (in all but three genera). The palpi are usually very small and short, 

 and closely appressed to the head ; the antennse have a curved club. 

 The legs are long, and the fore-tibifc have on the inner side a con- 

 spicuous projecting appendage, while the tarsal claws are simple and 

 without appendages. The abdomen is thicker than usual, and enlarged 

 posteriorly. 



The full development of the first pair of legs in both sexes, and the 

 median suspensory silken girth of the chrysalis, are the main charac- 

 ters of this Family, and together indicate a nearer relationship to the 

 Hctcroccra than the three preceding Families exhibit. Of its two Sub- 

 Families, the Papilioninm better exhibit this relationship, and in the 

 median appendage of their fore-tibifB show a point of afiinity to the 

 Hcsperidoc — the last Family of butterflies. 



In numerical strength the Papilionidm stand fourtli of the five Fami- 

 lies, about fourteen hundred species being recorded. Of these, fhePierince 

 muster a large majority (about nine hundred species), and they are also 

 much more prolific in recognised generic forms, having thirty-nine or 

 forty, while the Papilionina:. have but thirteen. The latter contain, how- 

 ever, not only a far larger proportion of species remarkable for size, 

 variety of form, and splendour of colouring, but also, in the genus Onii- 

 tlioptera, the very princes of the butterfly world, gigantic in stature, and 

 of the richest and most intense hues. The Papilionince have not the 

 same world-wide range as the Pierina:, being mostly natives of tropical 

 and sub-tropical lands, and even Parnassius (alpine above all the genera) 

 not extending within the Arctic circle. The Picrince are mostly of the 

 middle size or rather smaller, and present a simple, but usually bright 

 and conspicuous, colouring of white, yellow, or orange, tipped or bor- 

 dered in many cases with black ; some of the tropical and sub-tropical 

 forms are, however, more variegated, and Tcracolus and Anthocharis in 

 most cases present a brilliant patch of orange, red, crimson, or violet 

 at the tips of the fore-wings. 



The larvfB of the two Sub-Families (as indicated above) differ con- 

 siderably, the robuster caterpillar of the Pap)ilioninc€ alone possessing 

 the strongly-scented extrusible forked tentacle on the back of the 

 second semient. 



