155 



band of the under wings lacks on its internal margin the black 

 bands ; instead of them the small blue spots are internally sur- 

 rounded by a very small b'ack elliptical curve, at some distance 

 from the inner margin of the band. 



Zeller, in Isis, 1847, P- 216-2 [9, speaks at some length on P. 

 sphyrus and P. Jwspiton. P. sphyrus he puts with a ? as the spring 

 form of P. machaon (Freyer, New Britr., I, p. 139, says; "P. sphyrus, 

 Hueb., is simply a P. machaon,'') pilosior abdominis dorso late 

 nigro, alarum anteriorum venis dilatis, omnium fascia postica 

 latiore. He concludes with acknowledging the very considerable 

 variation of P. machaon in color, pilosity, size, shape and in the 

 length of the tail. 



Concerning P. hospiton, Zeller discusses in detail the figures 

 and description of Herrich-Schaeffer, pi. 53, f. 249-250, p. 140. 

 (They agree exactly with the specimen in the collection of the 

 museum.) Zeller mentions specimens collected near Messina, 

 Sicily, and concludes, finally, that the only difference of import- 

 ance is represented in the black line separating the red spot in 

 the angle of the hind wing from the blue lunule above the spot. 

 But, he continues, the shape of the red spot (a crescent by 

 Herrich-Schaeffer, and transversal ovoid in the museum's speci- 

 men) is variable in P. macJiaon and entirely- wanting in the variety 

 from Hamburg, figured in Freyer, New Britr., I pi., 74. This 

 variety is even more remarkable as the figure of the under wing 

 has on the under side a small red crescent divided from the blue 

 spot by a large black band just as in P. hospiton ; the basal half 

 of the cell of the primaries is black, except a small paler spot 

 near the base, just as in P. sphyhus. Zeller does not mention 

 these two differences.* 



The only description of the caterpillar of P. hospiton by Mr. 

 Boisduval, Index p. 1-3, is short, "green with black, whitish and 

 red punctated, with aborted spinules ; living on Ferula covi- 

 inunis. " Mr. Zeller objects against the spinules, but Mr. Verloren, 

 1. c, p. 95, says: " Before the fourth moult the caterpillar pos- 

 sesses short spines, which disappear nearly entirely after the 

 fourth moult. In the black variety these spines remain more ap- 

 parent than in the green caterpillars." Besides that Mr. Boisdu- 

 val has not stated that his caterpillar was full-grown, Verlorens 

 remarks cover the case. 



Dr. J. Delaharpe, Contribut. a la Faune d Sicile, Lausanne, 

 i860, p. 33, describes as intermediate form between P. machaon 

 and hospiton a large female from Sicily. The primaries are as in 

 P. machaon, the underwings and abdomen similar to P. hospiton. 



Mr. Bellier de Chavignerie, Am. Soc. Ent Fr., i860, p. 674 



* In P. Zolicaon the red spot in the angle of the hind wing is always separated from the blue lunule 

 above it by a black line ; but I find in some P. oregonius the indication of a black line, beginning from 

 he outside to separate the red spot on the underside of the wings ; even some of the var, asiatica show 

 he same, but more faint. 



