PAriLIO PILUMNUS. Boi.duval. 



BOISD. SP. GEN. I. p. 340, n. 181, (183(i.) 

 MENETKIES, CAT. MUS. PETR. LEP. II. p. 110, t. 7. f. 2. ( 1857.) 



Male. Expands 3J inches. 



Body yellow; a broad black dorsal, narrow lateral and a broader ventne band ; antcnnie 

 black. 



Upper surface, chrome yellow, primaries, costa narrowly black, five transverse black 

 bauds ; first basal, second extending from inner third of costal margin to same distance on 

 inner ; third, a mesial and convergent band extending from the costa to first median uervule, 

 covering the disco-cellular veins ; fourth, short situated midway between third and fifth 

 bands, extending from costa to first radial vein ; fifth and terminal one very broad, extending 

 along whole outer margin, covering one-third of the whole area of the wing, containing two 

 rows of imperfect yellow lunules, nearly confluent, outer ones large and distinct, the inner of 

 segregated atoms. 



Secondaries, three transverse black bands, continuations of the first, second and fifth of 

 primaries, first and second converging to a point on the abdominal margin about three-fourths 

 its length and separated from the terminal border by two fulvous crescents, preceeded by a 

 narrow yellow line, the outer band with six yellow long straight or lunulate bars all of 

 which are more or less tinged with fulvous, interior to these the band is irrorated with four 

 shining blue crescent-shaped patches, a black discal mark ; tri-tailed of which the outer is the 

 longest and tapering, yellow cilicX' on inner side, other tails one-half and one-quarter the 

 length of the outer one ; emarginations yellow. 



Under surface, paler than above, bands of upper surface repeated, but brown instead of 

 black ; the six lunulate bars near outer margin of secondaries, fulvous ; on inner side these 

 are joined by black, irregular shaped patches, M'hich are in turn surmounted by shining blue 

 crescents, edged above with black. 



I have seen but one female, and as nearly as I can recollect, she resembles the male very 

 closely, but was larger, probably expanding four inches, or over. 



It is a matter of astonishment that so large and beautiful a butterfly of our own Itiuna 

 should be so rare in N. American collections ; in fact, I know of but two examples ; the 

 female above alluded to, which came from New Mexico, and is in the collection of Mr. W. 

 H. Edwards, and the male, from Avhich the accompanying figure was drawn, I received from 

 Vera Cruz, jMexico. I have no better reason for giving an illustration of a butterfly that has 

 been already both described and figured, than that I think it the finest of its genus found in 

 North America, and, secondly, Menetries' Catalogue is not a work likely to be found at every 

 book-stall and finally, must I confess it, I did not know that there was a plate of it, until, 

 after I had drawn mine ; so if confession is good and wholesome, I trust I am somewhat 

 benefited thereby if no one else is. 



