84 ; THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 
AN AFTERNOON AMONG THE BUTTERFLIES OF 
THURSDAY ISLAND. 
By Gervase F. Martuevw, R.N., F.L.S., F.Z.S., F.R.G.S. 
(Concluded from p. 36.) 
Ornithoptera priamus, Linn., var. pronomus, Gray: three or 
four of these most magnificent butterflies were seen, and a pair, 
a male and female, in perfect condition, were captured. I was 
also fortunate enough to find two chrysalids and two full-grown 
larvee, and saw many smaller larvee, which I did not take, as their 
food-plant will not keep fresh for more than a couple of days on 
board ship. The larvee were feeding upon a kind of Ipomea, 
which was twining itself among and over the brushwood, some at 
a considerable height, while others were feeding upon portions of 
the plant which were trailing on the ground, and I nearly trod 
upon one of the largest larve. The following is a description of 
a full-grown larva:—Length, two inches and a half; tapering 
slightly towards each extremity; central segments thickened ; 
comparatively short and obese; smoky black, with a tinge of 
madder-purple; head black and shining, with a narrow white 
v-shaped mark on the face; upon the crown of the 2nd segment 
a crescent-shaped shining black plate, and between this and the 
head is the nuchal aperture, through which, when the larva is 
irritated, is emitted a pair of short thick carmine-coloured 
tentacles; a subdorsal row of finely-pointed spines on each side, 
the spines rather long, and those on the posterior segments 
pointing backwards; tips and base of spines black, intermediate 
portion scarlet, except on 8th segment, where the base of spine 
is white, and from thence springs a broad oblique white stripe 
pointing forwards, and terminating at the spiracular region; a 
row of black spines just below the spiracles; upon 38rd, 4th, and 
5th segments an additional spine between the subdorsal and 
spiracular row; a short black blunt tubercle on 2nd segment 
upon each side of the face; a short black spine above each leg 
and claspers, which are shining black. The chrysalis, which is of 
an amber-brown colour, is slightly angulated, with a blunt sub- 
dorsal black-tipped spine on each side of the abdominal segments, 
and some small black spines on back of thorax; a large and 
almost triangular orange-yellow blotch upon back of anterior 
