26 PAPILIO MARCIIANDH. 



exteiuliii"- from costal margin downwards a sliort distance beyond the median nervure ; the 

 second extends from costa to median nerviire, from thence it narrows and runs along the third 

 median ncrvule till it joins the broad marginal, band; the third covers the disco-cellular ner- 

 vulcs and is broad at costa, but diminishes to a point at the junction of the median nervure 

 and second discoidal ncrvule, where it also connects with the marginal band ; witiiin the latter 

 is a row of eight orange colored spots, the five nearest to costa oval, tlie others slightly 

 lunulatc. 



.Secondaries have a broad black marginal band, covering half the area of the wing, and 

 containing a sub-marginal row of four orange spots between the outer angle and third 

 nu'diaii ncrvule, and three white crescents between third median ncrvule and anal angle ; 

 inner margin of wing black ; a small orange anal spot ; tails slender, ^ inch long, with outer 

 half black and inner half orange. 



Under surface vellowish, paler than above ; primaries have the markings of uj>per sur- 

 face reproduced, but pale brown instead of black ; the sub-marginal spots are jonnected, form- 

 ing a band. 



Secondaries with black marginal band, within which the yellow and -white spots are dis- 

 posed as on superior surface, with the addition of a narrow yellow bar interior to the sub- 

 niari'inal spots, and extending from costa to radial nervure ; a black basal stripe which extends 

 along near the inner margin of wing ; this portion and that interior to and joining the 

 marffinal band is tinged with fulvous. 



Habitat. Costa Kica, I'auama, Honduras. 



Dr. Boisduval first described this insect from examples in !Mus. of M. Marchand, to whom 

 he dedicated the species. 



The specimen from which I made the drawing was given me by my old entomological 

 friend, ]Mr. H. Sachs, of New York, in whose collection are several fine examples ; it belongs 

 to the same group as P. Calliste, and is as graceful and beautiful as an emanation from some 

 Fairy Isle. 



I have never looked at this lovely thing, with its delicate form and brilliant hue, with- 

 out my thoughts reverting to the long past builders of tlic temples and altars of Palenque and 

 Copan, the butterfly flitted through the tropical groves in their day, as now, but the inhabitants 

 of the old dead cities have passed away, their names, their history unknown! birds, reptiles 

 and insects now alone tenant the forest where once stood the populous cities, the kings and 

 priests of which, with their slaves and sycophants, long ages ago have gone to rest ; naught 

 remains of their past greatness but the moss-coated and time-worn ruins of altar and idol, and 

 the frail, golden butterfly hovers, suspended in mid air, over the monster face of some fallen 

 Dagon, which far back beyond even " the night of time," received its meed of human sacrifice ; 

 in imagination, we can see the temples restored, the long trains of devotees, all the parapher- 

 nalia of pagan worship, we can hear the sound of music, the shrieks of the agonized prisoner 

 about to be offered as a propitiation to some monstrous conception of barbaric superstition ; 

 but all now is hushed ; priest, cacique and victim, alike, are gone, fallen are the idols, giant 

 trees grasp with their roots the ruins of the temples, and creeping vines and gorgeous flowers 

 mingle with the sculpture of the marvelous shrines; scarce a sound is heard save the rustling 

 of some snake gliding stealthily to his hole, or shimmering lizard running over leaf or twig; 

 from these thoughts we turn to others more sad; it seems almost incredible that a great 



