AND THEIR TRANSFORMATIONS. 9 
SPECIES 1.—PAPILIO MACHAON. THE SWALLOW-TAIL BUTTERFLY. 
Plate i. fig. 1—3. 
Synonymrs.—Papilio (Equites Achivi) Machaon, Linn. Syst. Papilio Regine, De Geer. Gen, 6. 30. 5. 
Nat. ii. 750. Donovan Brit. Ins. 6, pl. 211. Lewin Brit. Butt. pl. 34. Jasonides Machaon, Hubner. 
Harris Aurelian, pl. 36. Westwood Ent. Text Book, tab. 4, fig. inf.; Amaryssus Machaon, Dalman, Pap. Suec. 85. 1. 
ditto Introd. ii. p. 332, fig. 95. 1—10. Duncan Brit, Butt. pl. 4, fig. 1. 
This beautiful butterfly varies from three inches to three inches and nearly three-quarters in the expanse of 
the wings, which are of a yellow colour with black markings, the fore wings having a large patch of black at 
the base ; the anterior margin is black, with three large black subcostal marks ; the nerves are also broadly black, 
as is also the apical margin, in which are eight yellow lunules, above which is a thick sprinkling of minute yellow 
scales: the posterior wings are more strongly denticulate at the edges, and produced behind into a pair of rather 
long tails; they are yellow, with the inner margin and a very broad apical border black, the latter with six 
yellow lunules, above which is a thick sprinkling of blue scales. The anal angle is ornamented with a brick- 
red eye, margined with yellow beneath and with blue above, the latter having also a black crescent above it. 
The under side of the wings is much paler than the upper, the black markings being less extended; the 
apical yellow lunules of the upper sides are replaced by a narrow continuous bar, above which the yellow 
irroration is much stronger ; the broad black apical bar of the hind wings is much paler, the black being confined 
to the curved margins of the bar, and in the middle of the hind wings are three triangular brick-red spots; a 
spot of the same colour also exists in the squarish yellow submarginal spot nearest the fore edge of the hind 
wings. 
This species is very widely dispersed, being found all over Europe, Siberia, Syria, Egypt, the coast of Barbary, 
Nepaul, Cachemere, and the Himalayan mountains, from which last locality I possess a specimen captured by 
Professor Royle, which scarcely exhibits the slightest differences when compared with English specimens. In our own 
country it chiefly occurs in the fenny districts of Cambridge and Huntingdonshire, but it has also been captured 
in Hampshire, Middlesex, Sussex, Essex, and Kent. The caterpillar is of a fine green colour, with velvety-black 
rings, spotted alternately with fulvous-red. It is found in June and September, there being two broods in the year 
according to Boisduval ; but this is doubted by Stephens, the perfect insect being taken from the beginning of 
May to the end of August in England. It feeds upon various umbelliferous plants, especially on the marsh-milk 
parsley (Selinum palustre), fennel (Anethum fceniculum), and wild carrot (Daucus carota), preferring the 
flowers. The fork-like tentacle on the neck is of a red colour, and emits a strongly-scented liquor when 
alarmed, by which it is said to drive off the Ichneumon flies. The mode in which the transformation of this 
butterfly is effected has been carefully investigated by Reaumur. When full-grown, the caterpillar discharges 
from the spinning apparatus in the middle of the under part of the mouth a small quantity of silk, forming it into 
a little mass which it lays hold of with its hind pair of feet ; it then attaches another thread on one side of the 
twig at some distance in advance of the small mound, and gradually forms it into a loop, attaching the other end 
of the thread to the opposite side of the twig, and holding it open by means of its fore legs ; it then spins a 
sufficient number of similar threads, until the loop has acquired sufficient strength for its destined use. When 
it is completed, the insect still holding it open by means of its fore legs, somewhat in the same way as a skein of 
silk is held on the hands whilst being wound off, slips its head between these legs, and thus passes the loop over 
Cc 
