2 SWALLOW-TAIL. 



the Himalayan mountains; Egypt, and the coast of Barbaiy. 

 In our own country it has been met with in Yorkshire, near 

 Beverley and Cottingham; in Dorsetshire, by J. C. Dale, Esq., 

 in the parish of Glanville's Wootton: he took twelve specimens 

 there in three days, about thirty years ago, but has not seen 

 one since. In Hampshire, Middlesex, Sussex, Essex, and Kent, 

 in Xorfolk at Acle, near Yarmouth, in plenty; and also in 

 meadows at Orby and Thurme, in some years in great abun- 

 dance ; but most of all in Cambridgeshire and Eluntingdon- 

 shire, where, ia the fenny districts, it has been, 'and even is 

 still, very abundant; though, as those parts are fast being 

 drained, it is to be feared that we may in time lose this most 

 conspicuous ornament of our cabinets. The perfect insect is 

 taken from the beginning of ^lay to the end of August. 



The caterpillar occurs from June to September. It feeds 

 on various umbelliferous plants, particularly on the marsh 

 parsley, {Selinum palustre^ the wild carrot, {Daucus carota,) 

 and the fennel, {Anethum fcenicidum.) 



The Swallow-tail measures, in different specimens, from three 

 inches to three inches and three-quarters in the expanse of the 

 wings. The ground colour is yelloAv, with black markings. 

 The fore wings have a large patch of black, dotted with yellow 

 at the base, and the front margin is black, with three large 

 black marks. The nerves are also black, as is likewise the 

 hind margin, on which are eight yellow marks, and above 

 is a thick powdering of minute yellow dots. The hind M'ings 

 are also yellow; the inner margin, and a broad border on the 

 outside, black, the latter with six yellow crescents, above which 

 is a thick sprinkling of blue dots. Near the inside corner is 

 a red eye, margined with yellow beneath and blue above, 

 the latter with a black crescent above it. 



The under side of the wings is lighter-coloured than the 

 upper, and the black markings are less extended. A narrow black 

 bar supersedes the yellow crescents, above which the dotting of 

 yellow is more thick. The outside black bar of the hind 

 wings is much lighter-coloured, the black being limited to its 

 curved margins, and in the middle of the hind wings are three 



noi 



