21 



Upper Side. Head and neck black, with two small white spots between the antenna at their base, 

 and eight more on the head and neck. Thorax black. Abdomen of a glossy hue. Anterior wings black, 

 with a very glossy greenish tinge at the anterior angle, with eight small, white, narrow crescents on the 

 external margin of each, which make them appear as if dentated. Posterior wings of a dark glossy 

 green, with two tails issuing from them. The concave part of each scollop is edged with white ; and six 

 whitish spots run along their edges, meeting below the extremity of the body. 



Under- Side. Breast, legs, and abdomen black ; the sides spotted with cream-coloured spots, one of 

 which appears on the inferior wings, on each side the breast. Anterior wings, next the tips, are of the 

 colour of soot ; but next the body, black, with five whitish spots on the external margin, near the interior 

 angle. The upper part of the posterior wings, next the body, are soot-coloured; the remaining parts of 

 them being of a glossy blue, with seven dark orange spots, placed in a circular manner, a little distance 

 from the edge, and meeting at the extremity of the body : each spot is encircled with black, except in 

 that part where a small silver mark appears on its edge, being represented in the plate by white. The 

 scollops are deeper edged on this side with white than on the upper. 



This butterfly is one of the most beautiful, and, at the same time, most common of the 

 North American species ; abounding wherever the Aristolochia serpentaria grows, the larva 

 feeding upon that plant. It is described by Boisduval and Abbot, and is brown, with four 

 rows of small fulvous tubercles, and a row of brovra spines near the legs ; moreover, it has 

 two long spines directed forwards upon the first segment, three upon the penultimate, and 

 two upon the tenth segment. The neck is also furnished with a furcate retractile reddish 

 tentacle ; the chrysalis is of a violet grey, or reddish colour, with two yellow spots, the 

 head being truncate. The female is larger, with brown-coloured wings, with cupreous 

 reflections. The insect assumes the chrysalis state on the 26th of April, and the fly 

 appears on the 4-th of May. Another, observed by Abbot, went into chrysalis on the 21st 

 of June, and the butterfly came out on the 5th July. The latter delights to frequent the 

 blossoms of the peach and other trees in the spring. 



PAPILIO ASTERIAS. 



Plate XI. fig. 2. 3. and 5. 



Order : Lepidoptera. Section ; Diurna. Family : Papilionidte, Leach. 

 Genus. Papilio, Auct. 



Papilio Asterias. Alls dentatis nigris, fascia raaculari maculisque marginalibus flavis ; posticis caiulatis, angulo 



ani fulvo, puncto atro, abdominis dorso dupUci serie punctorum flavomm. (Expans. Alar. 3 unc.O lin. — 4 nne.) 



Syn. Papilio Asterias, Fabr. Mant. Iiis. torn. -2. p. 2. No. 13. Ent. Syst. 111. 1. p. G. No. 16. Cramer, 



tab. 385./. C. D. God. Enc. MHh. ix. p. 58. No. 91. Boisduv. et Lee. Icon. Lep. Amer. Sept. pi. 4. 



Boisd. Hist. nat. Lep. 1. 3.32. No. 175. 



Papilio Troilus, Drury, App. Vol. 2. Abbot and Smith, Im. Georg. 1. <. 1 . (excliis. Si/n. Linn, e: Fabr.) 



Haaitat : New York, Maryland, Carolina, Virginia {Drury). 



Upper Side. Antennae, head, and body black, with two yellow spots at the bases of the antennae, 

 and two more on the neck; the sides of the abdomen being spotted with two rows of the same. Ante- 



