94 Indian Economic Entomology. [ Vol. I. 



know its name, but it is the larva of a butterfly, as you surmised ; aud as I am sending 

 you the insect in all its stages, I have no doubt you will be able to name it. The 

 London purple in this case was also a complete success. Owing to previous hand-pick- 

 ing there were only a few caterpillars on the trees when sprayed upon, but the few 

 noticeable were destroyed with one application, and none have since appeared." 



The figures are taken from specimens reared by Mr. Gollan. 



De Niceville writes 1 as follows of Papilio erithronius : — 



" I have had considerable experience in breeding this species, the larva of which I 

 have most frequently found on the Bael (JEgle marmelos), but it feeds also in Calcutta 

 on the orange, pomelo, lime, ber {Zizyphus jujuba), and a low-growing weed, to be 

 found in all waste places, called Qlycosmis pentaphylla. The eggs of P. erithronius 

 are always, as far as I know, laid on the very young shoots and leaves on which the 

 young larvae exclusively feed. When they grow older the caterpillars eat the old 

 and full-grown leaves. I have often watched Papilios in the act of ovipositing, and 

 have never known a female to lay more than two or three eggs on any one plant 

 or bush. They are very careful as to the position where the eggs are laid, and often 

 take some moments to decide whether an egg shall be placed or not on a particular 

 leaf or young shoot. The eggs are conspicuous objects, being pale yellow in colour 

 and perfectly smooth. The young larvae closely resemble the droppings of birds, 

 and always rest fully exposed to view on the upper side of the leaves. They are pro- 

 bably protected, not only by their superficial resemblance to something uneatable, but 

 in addition are furnished with a strong, but to me not at all disagreeable odour, which, 

 however, may be very repugnant to the taste of birds. I rather doubt the tentacles 

 with which the larvae are furnished being scent-organs. I fancy they are entirely used 

 to frighten away their enemies. The extreme rapidity with which they can be thrust 

 forth, their large size and bright colour, would not unlikely drive off a female Ich- 

 neumon-fly in the act of depositing her eggs in the body of the caterpillar, and this 

 fly is certainly the greatest enemy the butterfly has. When full grown, the larva 

 dons quite a different livery, being green, with some oblique markings on the sides. 

 At this stage it usually rests on the stems of the leaves, where it is well hidden." 



Papilio erithronius is related to the " Orange dog" Papilio cresphonte, 

 which often completely defoliates young orange trees in Florida. The life 

 history of the " Orange dog " was investigated for the United States 

 Government by Hubbard, who writes 2 as follows :— 



" The eggs are spherical, smooth, and pearly in lustre, with a dull-red or reddish- 

 yellow tinge, aud are deposited singly, invariably upon the youngest and most tender 

 shoots, usually upon the tips of the budding leaves. The butterflies appear with the 

 opening of spring from chiysalids formed in November and December; the first eggs 

 are deposited early in February or as soon as the new growth appeai-s upon the orange 

 trees. The eggs hatch in ten or twelve days ; the caterpillar completes its growth in 

 about thirty days, and remains in the pupa case attached to the trunk or large branch 

 from ten to fifteen days. About two months is thus occupied by a single brood, and 

 there are four full broods during the season, beginning with February and ending with 

 October. The breeding is, however, continuous during the summer, and eggs are laid 

 whenever new growth appears upon the orange trees. The ovaries contain over 500 

 eggs, the laying of which occupies the female many days ; she scatters them over a wide 

 area, seldom depositing more than four or five upon a single plant. The young cater- 

 pillars feed at first only upon the tenderest leaves, but, when well grown, demolish both 



1 Asian, 7th February 1888. 



2 See his "Insects affecting the Orange," Washington, 1885. 



