SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLIES — CLARK 387 



Channel Islands, and in the south of England in 1900. A small 

 migration was reported near Bagdad, Iraq, in 1918 or 1919, and in 

 1872 numbers of individuals were observed about 5 miles from land 

 off Monte Pellegrino, near Palermo, Sicily. 



No swallowtail migrations have ever been reported from Australia 

 or from Africa. No less than 11 different kinds, however, have been 

 reported in migratory flight in southern Asia, chiefly about Ceylon 

 and southern India; but there are two records from Siam and one 

 from New Guinea. 



Nearly all the records of oriental swallowtail migrations mention 

 these butterflies as components, more or less important, of mixed 

 flocks chiefly of white and yellow butterflies (Pieridae), often with 

 relatives of our milkweed butterfly (species of Eujploea and Danais) 

 and various other kinds. So the swallowtails seem really to be home 

 lovers that are sometimes led astray by their sociability, which in- 

 duces them to follow along with other sorts of butterflies toward 

 an unknown destination. 



Only a single swallowtail {PapiUo hector of India and Ceylon) 

 has been reported with any frequency at sea, but this has been 

 captured as much as 200 miles from land (Ceylon). 



The lack of the exploring spirit in the swallowtails is accompanied 

 by a similar lack of a belligerent attitude toward other living things. 

 They are more peacefully inclined than the majority of butterflies. 

 Live and let live seems to be their motto. Though they indulge 

 more or less frequently in duels, the males as a rule do not display 

 that spirited aggressiveness and zest for combat so characteristic 

 of the males of many butterflies. Neither are they prone to bully 

 other insects. They go about their own affairs with a calm disre- 

 gard for other creatures. 



Still, on occasion temptation may prove too much for them. I 

 have seen a blue swallowtail (PapiUo philenor, pi. 11, fig. 53) turn 

 from its course to chase an English sparrow that rose from the 

 grass, continuing the chase until the frightened bird was safe among 

 the branches of an apple tree. Incidentally, from this incident I 

 learned the speed of flight of the blue swallowtail. This butterfly 

 has such an erratic flight it is impossible to pace it. But this par- 

 ticular individual followed the scared sparrow in a perfectly straight 

 line. The speed of the sparrow was about 25 miles an hour, and 

 that of the butterfly was the same. 



It happens that the only insect I have ever seen attacked and 

 routed by a fritillary is this same blue swallowtail. Once I was 

 watching a pair fluttering about together about 3 feet above some 

 milkweeds when a male of our largest fritillary {Argynnis diana) 

 dashed at them, sending them scurrying off in opposite directions. 



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