SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLIES — CLAEK 391 



deed, in the Western Hemisphere the largest of the swallowtails 

 {Papilio hotnerus) lives not upon the continent, as would be expected, 

 but upon the island of Jamaica and the most beautiful one {Papilio 

 gundlachianus) is confined to eastern Cuba. 



The numerous species of Papilio are divisible into three major 

 sections, and each of these falls into numerous minor groups of 

 greater or lesser value. These groups are known as the Aristolochia 

 swallowtails, the fluted swallowtails, and the kite swallowtails. 



THE ARISTOLOCHIA SWALLOWTAILS 



The Aristolochia swallowtails are so called because their caterpil- 

 lars feed only on the leaves of the Dutchman's pipe {Ai^^istolochia) 

 or closely related plants. 



They are especially distinguished by their curious caterpillars. 

 These when fully grown are stout, soft, and black in color, with on 

 each segment from 4 to 6 fleshy tubercles or filaments varying 

 in length according to the species, some of which may be orange or 

 red. They are densely covered with minute hairs, which gives them 

 a velvety appearance. 



The butterflies themselves are very much less obviously different 

 from those of the other sections than are the caterpillars or the 

 chrysalids. But, though rather inconspicuous, their distinctive char- 

 acters are of a fundamental nature. The antennae are not scaled, and 

 to the naked eye they appear less distinctly jointed than those of the 

 species in the other sections, as the segments are basally not markedly 

 constricted or compressed. The bodies of the Aristolochia swallow- 

 tails are curiously soft, and on pressing the thorax, or portion be- 

 tween the wings, a yellow liquid oozes out from all the sutures, and 

 sometimes even from the tips of the antennae. They are very tena- 

 cious of life and will recover from a pinch that will kill any species 

 of the other sections. 



In all the Aristolochia swallowtails the flight is direct, and in most 

 cases low. Some have a rather rapid nervous flight, but the flight 

 of most of them is clumsy, and in the larger oriental ones often 

 quite awkward. All of them keep their wings in motion while feed- 

 ing. They are unsuspicious, and most of them may easily be taken 

 with the hand. 



The species of this section seem all to be common where they 

 occur, though many are very local. They live in and about the 

 woods and forests, and are very frequent visitors to gardens. Where- 

 ever Aristolochia is grown as a cultivated plant they are quick to 

 discover and to take advantage of it. 



The Aristolochia swallowtails are found in North and South 

 America, Asia, Australia, and Madagascar, but there are none in 



