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XXIV. Synepigonic series of Papilio cenea (1902-3) and 

 Hypolimnas raisippus (1904), together with 

 observations on the life-history of the former. 

 By George F. Leigh, F.E.S. With notes by 

 Professor Edward B. Poulton, D.Sc, F.R.S., 

 and an Appendix by K.OLAND Trimen, M.A., 

 F.R.S. 



[Read June 1st, 1904.] 



Plates XXXI and XXXII. 



I. Observations on the life-history of Papilio cenea. 



On September 18, 1902, I took a male of Pa^nlio cenea in 

 copula with a female of the cenea form which is commonest 

 in Natal, viz, that which possesses white spots on the fore- 

 wing. Having previously discovered the food-plant, I 

 decided to try and obtain eggs. I placed in a large 

 paraffin tin a small example of this plant, and by its side 

 a vase with several of the flowers on which the butterfly 

 feeds, covering all in with mosquito netting. The female 

 cenea fed on the flowers, and lived for five days. I then 

 carefully examined the plant and found 90 eggs upon it, 

 but not one on the flowers or the sides of the tin. The 

 eggs are white and very small ; they are laid upon both 

 sides of the leaves and upon the small stems of the food- 

 plant. The larvaj began to hatch on September 29, only 

 three of the eggs proving barren. The young larvae are 

 nearly black in colour, with white on the last segment. 

 The first ecdysis occurred on October 3-5, when 13 of the 

 larvse died. They were then transferred to another tin 

 with fresh food-plant. In the second stage they are 

 chocolate and white. When not feeding, the larva rests 

 upon a slight web spun over the central part of the leaf. 

 The second ecdysis occurred on October 8-11, after which 

 70 living larvae were counted. The colours were as in the 

 second stage, save that the chocolate was of a paler shade. 

 The larvae fed well and grew rapidly, the third ecdysis 

 taking place on October 13-16. An immense change in 

 appearance is now manifest ; for the larvse of the fourth 

 stage are blue-green, beautifully variegated with white, of 

 which the amount varies greatly in different individuals. 

 All the larvse passed this ecdypis safely, but four were killed 

 for preservation. The last ecdysis occurred between 

 TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1904. — PART IV. (DEC.) 44 



