Rhopalocera from the Australian region. 175 
case with the larger Ornithoptera). After this is accom- 
plished it remains quiet, but jerks itself rapidly from 
side to side when any other larva approaches it, or it is 
otherwise annoyed, and its movements are often so 
violent that it is astonishing that the silken girdle does 
not break. 
At seven o’clock one morning I| observed a larva writh- 
ing and contorting itself in a remarkable manner. It 
was evidently on the point of changing, so I watched it 
carefully. The movements consisted of a series of 
whirling upward motions, and presently the head of the 
larva split transversely across the face, and the soft 
green tip of the chrysalis became visible. The rest of 
the change was effected with great rapidity, the whirling 
and pushing motion being continued without intermis- 
sion, until the old larva skin had slipped down as far as 
the anal claspers, when the end of the chrysalis was 
suddenly withdrawn, and the old skin fell to the ground, 
the chrysalis meanwhile being supported by the silken 
eirdle alone. The abdominal segments were then moved 
rapidly from side to side, the creature appearing to be 
searching for the silken pad into which to thrust the 
minute hooks at its extremity. When this was found 
the anterior part of the chrysalis was lowered as far as 
possible, and the whole curved upwards, bringing the tip 
almost at right angles to the orange stem. In this posi- 
tion the abdomen was quickly and vigorously whirled 
round and round as if the creature was endeavouring to 
screw the points into the silk, and in a few moments, 
this being accomplished, the chrysalis rested from its 
labours, only now and then giving a spasmodic jerk. The 
whole process of changing took seven minutes. At first 
the chrysalis looked soft and unshapely, but in an hour's 
time it had hardened, and assumed its ordinary form 
and angles. It was then 37 mm. long, of a beautiful 
green, the exact colour of the stem to which it was 
attached. Head strongly bifid; back arched ; sheath of 
haustellum and base of wings prominent; there is a 
depression between base and anal angle of wing, which 
runs round the upper portion of the abdomen, and 
gives the chrysalis a constricted appearance ; spiracular 
region strongly ridged; a silvery white and somewhat 
interrupted stripe runs from the base of the wings to the 
abdomen, and the lower part of the abdomen is suffused 
