BUTTERFLIES 



MONTANA. 



25 



THE ZOLICAON BUTTERFLY. 



Papilio Zolicaon, Boisduval, Fig. 21. 



Fig. 21, Papilio zolicaon. 



Butterfly Expanse 3.25-3.75 inches. Upper side of primaries black, 

 marked and spotted with deep yellow; of secondaries yellow from base 

 nearly two-thirds the distance to margin, beyond black; primaries have 

 a sub-marginal row of eight spots, and a discal series of eight forming a 

 band across the entire wing; the first discal spot excavated on the upper 

 side, sometimes divided into two. Secondaries with a broad black border 

 which incloses a sub-marginal series of six yellow spots, the first often 

 wanting; an orange or deep fulvous spot, inclosing a round or oval or 

 black spot, and edged on the upper side by a blue crescent, the ring 

 occasionally wanting; the rest of the wing yellow, divided into eight 

 spots, the cell being one, by the black nervures. Under side nearly as 

 above, the colors paler. 



Food The caterpillar feeds on the Umbelliferae, fennel, carrot and 

 celery. 



Distribution Southward from Vancouver's Island to Arizona, east- 

 ward to Colorado. Reported by Wiley to be rare at Miles City. Collected 

 by Dr. Hayden in Montana in 1871. 



THE NITRA SWALLOWTAIL. 

 Papilio nitra, Edwards. 



Butterfly This butterfly is very nearly related to zolicaon, but the 

 black is v/idely spread over the baso of the wings so as to make the yellow 

 appear like a broad band, and the two yellow bars in the fore wings are 

 very indistinct. 



Holland reports this insect rare in collections, and says it has sprung 

 from the same original stock as zolicaon and aliaska, the latter being an 

 offshoot from the Asiatic butterfly. We have not seen the species. 



Food Early stages and food unknown. 



Distribution It occurs in Montana and the portions of British 

 America adjacent on the north. 



