The Caterpillar and the Ant 



has found females ovipositing as late as October. The caterpil- 

 lars are familiar objects about houses on which the Aristolochia 

 is grown as an ornamental vine. 



(21) Papilio polydamas, Linnaeus, Plate XLI, Fig. 4, ^ 

 (Polydamas). 



Butterfly. -^Easily distinguished by the absence of tails on the 

 hind margin of the secondaries. The butterfly recalls the preced- 

 ing species by the color of the wings on the upper side. On the 

 under side the fore wings are marked as on the upper side; the 

 hind wings have a marginal row of large red spots. Expanse, 

 3.<X)-3. 50 inches. 



Early Stages. — The caterpillar is dark brown, and in many 

 points resembles that of P. philenor in outline, but the segments 

 are spotted with ocellate yellow and red spots. it feeds on 

 various species of Aristolochia. The chrysalis resembles that of 

 P. philenor. 



This lovely insect represents in the United States a great 

 group of butterflies closely allied to it, which are natives of the 

 tropics of the New World. It occurs in southern Florida and 

 Texas, and thence ranges southward over Cuba, Mexico, and 

 Central America. 



THE CATERPILLAR AND THE ANT 



A pensy Ant, right trig and clean, 

 Came ae day whidding o'er tiie green, 

 Where, to advance her pride, she saw 

 A Caterpillar, moving slaw. 

 ' Good ev'n t' ye. Mistress Ant,' said he; 

 ' How 's a' at hame ? I 'm blyth to s' ye.* 

 The saucy Ant view'd him wi' scorn, 

 Nor wad civilities return; 

 But gecking up her head, quoth she, 

 ' Poor animal ! 1 pity thee; 

 Wha scarce can claim to be a creature, 

 But some experiment o' Nature, 

 Whase silly shape displeased her eye, 

 And thus unfinish'd was flung bye. 

 For me, 1 'm made wi' better grace, 

 Wi' active limbs and lively face; 

 And cleverly can move wi' ease 

 Frae place to place where'er I please; 

 Mb 



