THE ASTERIAS BUTTERFLY. 265 



pale green, ochre-yellow, or ash-gray color, with two short 

 ear-like projections above the head, just below which, on the 

 upper part of the back, is a little prominence like a pug- 

 nose. The chrysalis hangs in the same way as the cater- 

 pillar, and remains in this state from nine to fifteen days, 

 according to the temperature of the atmosphere, cold and wet 

 weather having a tendency to prolong the period. When 

 this is terminated, the skin of the chrysalis bursts open, and 

 a butterfly issues from it, clings to the empty shell till its 

 crumpled and drooping wings have extended to their full 

 dimensions, and have become dried, upon which it flies away 

 in pursuit of companions and food. 



This butterfly is the Papilio Asterias 5 of Cramer. (Plate 

 IV. Fig. 4.) It is of a black color, with a double row of 

 yellow dots on the back ; a broad band, composed of yellow 

 spots, across the wings, and a row of yellow spots near the 

 hind margin ; the hind wings are tailed, and have seven blue 

 spots between the yellow band and the outer row of yellow 

 spots, and, near their hinder angle, an eye-like spot of an 

 orange color with a black centre ; and the spots of the under 

 side are tawny orange. The female (Plate IV. Fig. 5) 

 differs from the male, above described, in having only a few 

 small and distinct yellow spots on the upper side of the 

 wings. The wings of this butterfly expand from three and 

 a half to four inches. 



During the month of July the Asterias butterflies may be 

 seen in great abundance upon flowers, and particularly on 

 those of the sweet-scented Phlox. They lay their eggs, in 

 this and the following month, on various umbellate plants, 

 placing them singly on different parts of the leaves and 

 stems. I have found the caterpillars on the parsley, carrot, 

 parsnip, celery, anise, dill, caraway, and fennel of our gar- 

 dens, as well as on the conium, cicuta, sium, and other 

 native plants of the same natural family, which originally 



[ 5 The synonymes of P. Asterias are P. Troilus Smith Abbot, I. pi. 1 ; P. Ajax 

 Clerck, Icon., t. 83; P. polyxenes Fab. MOKKIS.] 

 34 



