PAPILIO. By Dr. A. Seitz. 13 



P. machaon is most frequent in Central Europe, for instance South Germany, France, Northern Italy, 

 und Austria. Its frequency diminuishes towards the North, South, and East, the insect being in the Southern 

 districts rarer than P. podalirius, and in the east less frequent than P. xuthiis. It visits the flowers in mea- 

 dows and fields, showing a preference for Echium, Trefoil, Lychnis, etc. The sexes meet on forest clear- 

 ings and on the summits of bare hills and mountains. The flight is fluttering, but fast. 



P. hospiton Gin. (6a). Similar to machaon, but the wings more rounded, and the hindwing prov- hospiton. 

 ided with a short tooth instead of a tail. The black colour more extended and more densely powdered 

 with yellow than in machaon. In the mountains of Sardinia and Corsica , in May and June. — . Caterpillar 

 green, striped with black and dotted with small yellowish red punctures, the black colour being more ex- 

 tended than in the larva of machaon. On Ferula and Ruta Corsica, during the summer and autumn. Chrys- 

 alis green, the abdominal tubercles more prominent than in machaon. — The buttei-flj* occurs occasionally 

 together with machaon at the same time in the same locality. The insect is sometimes common in 

 certain places. 



P. alexanor Esi^. (7a). Likewise similar to machaon; however, the basal third of the forewing is not 

 entirely black, but bordered basally and distall)' by a broad black band. The bands are continued across 

 the hindwing, bordering also here the yellow basal area. From May till July at the north- and the east-coasts 

 of the Mediterranean Sea, but absent from many districts, occurring eastwards as far as Eastern Persia and 

 Turkestan. — Larva similar to that of P. machaon, more variegated, the red dots larger and brighter; during 

 the summer on Seseli and Ferula; it is easy to find, since the stalks of the plants on which it feeds become 

 white, the epidermis being gnawed off. Pupa stone-grey, very flat, with carinate sides and uneven surface; 

 fastened on stones and resembling a small stone-splinter. — Three geograpliical forms of this species are 

 known: alexanor Esj). (= polidamas Prun., polychaon Deloche) (7a) is the form inhabiting Houthevn alexanor. 

 Europe. — maccabaeus Stgr. (^ judaeus Stgr.) (7a) has broader black bands, especially in the basal area: maccabaeus. 

 from Greece, Syria, and Palestine. — orientalis Bom. (7a) is larger than the European form and has on orientalis. 

 the whole narrower black bands, only the submarginal band of the hindwing being broadly blue. — P. alexanor 

 is of more graceful and elegant built than P. machaon. The insect appears to have everywhere one brood 

 onlj^, being however a long time on the wing. The butterfly is restricted to certain stations, but is locally 

 not rare; it visits the flowers of low plants, being especiallj' often met with sucking at flowers on steep 

 inclines exposed to the direct rays of the sun. 



P. domoleus L. {= erithonius Cr., epius Fbr.) (6d). Likewise yellow and black, as the preceding demoleus. 

 species, but without tail. The black basal area of the foi'ewing bears rows of yellow dots and the hindwing 

 has, besides the anal ocellus, a second, darker, ocellus, situated near the apex. In the Palaearctic Region 

 only in Persia and Kashmir : otherwise widely distributed, being very common from South India to Southern 

 China, occuring also in a large part of Australia and being represented in Africa south of the Sahara by 

 allied forms. — Caterpillar dark green, light green beneath; on the 3. and 5. somites transverse variegated 

 bands partly consisting of dots, a similarly coloured oblicjue band on each side from the 8. to 10. segments; 

 on fruit-trees, especiallj- orange, being occasionallj- destructive. Pupa rather strongly bent backwards, 

 light green, with brown caputal processes and thick thoracical tubercle. — The butterfly occurs in the 

 tropics throughout the j^ear, but there is probablj' only one brood in the Palaearctic Region. In flight and 

 habits closely resembling P. machaon. 



P. agestor Gray. This butterfly was first described from India; it occurs in the Palaearctic Region 

 in two local races which resemble each other rather closely, namely govindra Moore (7b) from Kashmir, govindra. 

 in which the anal half of the upperside of the hindwing is dark lirown, and restrictus Leech (7 b) from restrictus. 

 Central and Western China, in which the anal area of the hindwing is more brightly red-brown. The fore- 

 wing of both forms is, above, semitransparent, greenish grey, the veins being black; the hindwing is bright 

 red-brown on the underside, the cell being striped with grey. — These tailless Swallowtails are very rem- 

 arkable forms, being imitations of iJanais tytia, which occurs in the same districts. In order to render the 

 similarity more effective, not only the external features, such as outline and colour, but also the habits of 

 the butterflv have become modified. Although the insect is of strong built, the flight is nevertheless weak, 

 uncertain, fluttering; moreover, while the insect is sucking at flowers, the wings are not in fan -like 

 motion, but are usually kept closed above the back, as is the case also in the models, being rarely ex- 

 panded flat. 



P. horatius Blanch. (7b) is a species similar to the preceding, but smaller, bearing on both sides horatius. 

 of the hindwing an almost circular, yellow, anal spot ; West China. 



P. clytia L. (7a) is a larger species, \\ith grey-yellow upperside, the veins being black; it is very clytia. 

 common all over India and in Southern China, reaching the Palaearctic Region only in Kashmir, remaining 

 in Southern China south of the Palaearctic boundarj'. — The beautiful caterpillar is black, with broad sulphur- 

 yellow saddle -spot and red tubercles; on Aurantiaceae, especially on young plants. Chrysalis grey -brown. 

 — The butterfly mimicks in North India various common species of Danaids, its flight being clumsy, un- 

 gainly and fluttering. 



