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THE GENERA AND SPECIES OF BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 
marshy districts, preferring the Umbellifere, especially the Marsh-milk Parsley and Wild Carrot. 
It is furnished with a fork-like appendage near the head, by means of which it is said 
that it is able to emit a foetid odour which keeps off Ichneumons. The under side of the 
wings of this fine insect is much paler than the upper, and somewhat differently marked, as 
represented at No. 2. The chrysalis of the Great Swallow-tail (No. 3) is shown suspended to a 
branch of the Wild Carrot. P. Muchaon is much more abundant on the Continent than in 
England. 
Papilio Podalirius was formerly claimed as a British species, and it is to be regretted that 
the proofs have turned out insufficient, and that it cannot even be artificially naturalised after 
several attempts, though very common on the neighbouring shores of the Continent, for it is as 
fine an insect as P. Muchuon, with the markings of which its broad zebra-like stripes form a fine 
contrast. This handsome species is exceedingly common in the Campagna, in the immediate 
neighbourhood of Rome, where I captured many fine specimens, and from whence I brought 
chrysalides which I reared in England, turning many of the perfected insects loose in suitable 
localities, in the hopes that the species might establish itself; but they all disappeared without 
any results. Both P. Muchaon and P. Podalirius are, as I have said, common on the Continent, 
and they are among the species named by Linneus, who in conferring specific and sometimes 
even generic denominations, seldom adopted descriptive or characteristic names in the way now 
generally adopted, but gave arbitrary appellations, after historical or mythological persons of the 
early ages of Greece or Rome. These two fine species received their names in this manner after 
the two sons of Esculapius—Podalirius and Machaon, and will continue to bear them, in honour 
of their great name-father, so long as the present systems of science shall continue, though so 
completely at variance with the present system of nomenclature. 
The second Sub-Family of the Papilionide is that of the Rhodoceridi, a name derived from 
Greek words meaning red-horned, in allusion to the pinkish or brownish pink antenne by which 
the genera it contains are distinguished : these are the following, Gonepteryx and Colias. 
The genus Gonepteryx is so named from the angular form of the anterior wings, from the 
Greek word gonia (ywvia), an angle, and pteron (aregiv) a wing. The antenne are short and 
rather robust, terminating in a club, towards which they gradually thicken. The front pair of 
legs are alike in both sexes, and are, as well as the posterior pairs, fitted for walking. The 
Caterpillars are attenuated at each end, and the Chrysalis always attached by the tail, as well as 
suspended by a loop round the middle. 
Gonepteryx Rhamni (the Brimstone, No. 5), is generally the first of the Butterfly tribe to 
announce the coming summer, making his appearance, on fine days, as early as March or even 
February ; becoming, however, much more abundant in the more genial days of April. The 
female (No. 6) is nearly white, and by the inexperienced is often taken for one of the common 
Garden Whites. The under side of this insect scarcely varies from the upper, but in the male 
it is somewhat paler, as shown at No. 7. A second brood appears in August. 
The Caterpillar (No. 8) feeds upon the leaves of the common Buckthorn, Lhamnus Cathar- 
ticus, from which its specific name is derived, and also upon the Berry-bearing Alder, 2. ran- 
gulus, and some other allied trees. The Chrysalis (No. 9) is green, with some small red dots, 
and suspended with a loop like others of the family.’ 
This pretty insect is common in all parts of England, as far north as Newcastle, but is 
rarely found in Scotland. A. beautiful variety occurs commonly on the Continent, once made 
a separate species as Gonepteryx Cleopatra, in which the anterior wings of the male are beauti- 
fully suffused in the centre with a large patch of the richest orange colour, becoming fainter 
towards the edges. Some specimens occasionally captured in England are mentioned as having 
slight indications of this peculiarity. In the neighbourhood of Rome, however, I captured 
numbers of the orange variety, which appeared to be quite as common there as those of the 
sulphur colour. D er 
