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THE RICINI BUTTERFLY. 



Papilio Ricine. 

 PLATE LX. 



Papilio Helicon, Linn. Syst. Nat. ii. p. 756, No. 63. 

 Papilio Ricine, Cramer, Desc. de Papillons, iv. 174, pi. 

 378, fig. A. B. 



THE upper and under wings and body of this insect 

 are black ; the upper wings entire, and the under 

 ones slightly scalloped. In the centre of the upper 

 wings are large oblong upright spots of rich yellow, 

 and smaller ones of the same colour towards the 

 extremity ; the interior margin is of a beautiful crimson 

 colour, extending over half of the lower wings ; on 

 the back there are two yellow dots behind the head, 

 with a horse-shoe-shaped mark beneath them, below 

 which are four small dots of the same colour ; the 

 segments of the body are spotted with yellow on each 

 side. The eyes are scarlet. 



This insect inhabits America : the caterpillar feeds 

 upon the Ricinus palma christi. The anterior pair of 

 feet are short, as is the case with all those butterflies 

 with oblong wings, which foreign naturalists distinguish 

 by the name of narses. 



