XXIV. Synepigonic series of Papilio cenea (1902-3) and 
Hypolimnas misippus (1904), together with 
observations on the life-history of the former. 
By Grorce F. Letcu, F.E.S. With notes by 
Professor Epwarp B. Poutron, D.Sc, F.RS., 
and an Appendix by ROLAND TRIMEN, M.A., 
F.R.S. 
[Read June Ist, 1904. ] 
PLATES XXXI anp XXXII. 
I. Observations on the life-history of PAPILIO CENEA. 
On September 18, 1902, I took a male of Papilio 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 larvae began to hatch on September 29, only 
three of the eggs proving barren. The young larve are 
nearly black in colour, with white on the last segment. 
The first ecdysis occurred on October 3-5, when 13 of the 
larvee 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 larvee were counted. The colours were as in the 
second stage, save that the chocolate was of a paler shade. 
The larvee fed well and grew rapidly, the third ecdysis 
takimg place on October 13-16. An immense change in 
appearance is now manifest; for the larvee of the fourth 
stage are blue-green, beautifully variegated with white, of 
which the amount varies greatly in different individuals. 
All the larvee passed this ecdysis safely, but four were killed 
for preservation, The last ecdysis occurred between 
TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1904.—PART Iv. (DEC.) 44 
