The Swallow-Tail 



rounding marsh land had been liberally stocked with the 

 food-plant, yet no eggs or larvae were found after the 

 butterflies had passed their season, nor have any been 

 seen since. 



Doubtless the butterfly has many natural enemies, 

 and when we consider the draining, burning, and rush- 

 cutting that go on in these fen lands, it will be apparent 

 that the time cannot be far distant when an effort will 

 need to be made, such as at Wicken, to provide " Cities 

 of Refuge," for many of our rare and persecuted little 

 friends. I speak for birds, butterflies, flowers and 

 ferns. An educated public taste would do more for 

 them all than any amount of Acts of Parliament. 



The Swallow-Tail measures fully 3 inches across the 

 expanded wings ; the prevailing tint is a pale primrose 

 yellow, with bars and masses of black, the latter 

 powdered with yellow scales on the fore- wings, and with 

 pale blue on the hind-wings. There are also two red eye 

 spots on the inner angle of the hind-wings near the tails. 

 The under side looks not unlike a washed-out version 

 of the upper, with a little more red on the hind-wings. 



The caterpillar, too, is very beautiful, being green in 

 colour, belted with black, and the black is studded with 

 red spots. It thrives well on various members of the 

 carrot family carrot, parsley, fennel, celery ; it has 

 occasionally been found feeding on the common carrot 

 leaves in rural gardens in neighbourhoods where the 

 insect abounds. 



The chrysalis, in which form the insect passes through 

 the winter, is hung up in quite the orthodox manner, 



