30 AUSTEALIAN LEPIDOPTERA 



PAPILIO STHENELUS, W. S. Maoleay.— (Plate XX., ? ). 



Papilio sthenehis, W. S. Macleay, King's Survey, Austr., 11. , p. 457 (1827); JJoisduval, Spec. Gen., Lep., I., p. 230 (1836); Semper, ilu.s. Godf., XIV., 

 p. 42 (1878). 



LiFE-uiSTORY : Papilio erithojtius (auci.J, Mathew, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1888, p. 1G9. 



Towards the end of October, we found at Ash Island, on the tender shoots of an orange tree, some eggs and a few very 



young larvtc of the Papilio stiicnelus. Tlie eggs were globular, and pale greenish-yellow, and were placed singly on the leaves. The 



little larva) were at first very dark blackish-brown in colour, and armed with annular whorls of spines branching like those of the 



Fiinuncis and Junonia. At the second change of skin these spines become smaller, and at the third change they disappear, and 



are replaced by two rows of small dark spines, one on each segment, placed near the back; there are also very small additional 



spines on the sides of the three anterior segments. At this stage the ground colour of the larva is shining dark brown, with a 



dorsal band of dull orange spots, and on each side of the body, near the head and tail, and also over the abdominal feet, are 



irregular clusters of spots of the same dull orange hue ; the feet arc dark brown, the head black, with a yellowish divisional 



marking. As the larva increases in size the ground colour gradually turns into dull green, with longitudinal spots or patches of 



yellow, and finally it becomes a rich velvety sap-green, very dark along the back, but i)al('r and of a slightly bluish tint at the sides. 



The dorsal rows of spines have now disappeared, and in their place are small raised points ; a pair of largish yellow tubercles 



project from the first segment over the head, and a similar pair from the caudal extremity. In the centre of segments four to 



eleven is an annular band of six conspicuous spots of saturnine-yellow, the lowest row strongly outlined with black ; on the third 



segment the lowest spot of this annular band is absent, while the ui)[)('r ones are almost confluent, and have in front, exactly in 



the centre of the segment, a pair of small black spots, ringed with white. On the second segment the saturnine-yellow spots are 



very faint, and they do not appear at all on the first segment. A second annular band, composed of alternate black and faint white 



patches, is placed on the front of each segment close to the divisions, and on the second and third segment this band forms an 



almost continuous black ])attern over the back ; beneath it, over the thoracic feet, are several black spots of irregular form. A 



whitish lateral band passes over the legs to the caudal extremity, which is also whitish, and has on it several small black spots. 



The abdominal feet are whitish, thickly speckled with brown ; the thoracic feet and head shining yellowish-green. 



In length the full-grown caterpillar measures a little over 1'} inches, is cylindrical and robust in form, especially at the 

 shoulders, is sluggish in habit, but if irritated rapidly protrudes the retractile tentacula, 



A few of our specimens varied in some respects from those described above, the ground colour being yellowish, and the 

 black spots between the segmental divisions and over the feet being more strongly defined. 



At the end of November the caterpillars changed into chrysalids, previously attaching themselves to some convenient 

 support by the tail and a silken median band. The chrysalis is slightly over 1\ inches in length, is throughout of a light pinkish- 

 brown colour, covered with minute dots of brown and black. The head is bifurcate and projecting ; the thorax armed on the 

 back with an angular projection ; and the abdomen ridged dorsally and laterally. 



The butterflies took wing in December, January, and February. The female measures 3|, the male about 3J inches. 



The Antenna terminate in an elongated club, pointed at the apex, and very slightly compressed laterally (fig. 1). 



The Labial palpi very small (fig. 2), project shghtly in front of the head; basal and second joints about equal in length 

 (fig. 3) ; terminal joint very small and globular ; the whole covered with fine scales, and rather long hair 

 in front. 



The Legs : Anterior pair (fig. 4) with a horny sac on the inner side of tibias ; intermediate and posterior pairs (fig. 5) 



with two small spurs on tibite ; tibia3 and tarsi of all the legs nearly naked, but with several longitudinal 

 rows of small black setae. 



Wings erect in repose. 



The ground colour of the upper surface of this butterfly is silky black, with many large patches of dark cream colour 

 arranged transversely across the centre of both wings, and a row of kidney-shaped spots running parallel to the exterior borders. 

 Across the discoidal cell, and also between it and the apex of the superior wing, are various cream-coloured patches of irregular 

 form and size, the one placed between the fourth and fifth sul)costal nervules having in its centre a circular black spot with faint 

 bluish pupil* ; the base of the wing is thickly covered with clusters of minute cream-coloured scales arranged in parallel lines. A 



' [lu some specimens this silvery -bluish pupil is absent. — H.F. 



