THE SWALLOW-TAILS 



Because the membraned wings 



So wonderful, so wide, 

 So sun-suffused, were things 



Like soul and nought beside. 



Browning. 



The Palamedes Swallow-tail 



Papilio palamedes (Pa-pil'i-o pal-a-me'des) 



Plate VII, Fig. i 



This species is found in the southern half of the United 

 States, east of the Mississippi. It resembles to a great extent 

 in color and markings the black swallow-tail (Plate IV, Fig. 

 4) ; but it is a much larger insect, expanding from four inches 

 to four and six-tenths inches, and differs in markings as fol- 

 lows. The yellow band near the middle of the hind wings is 

 barely if at all interrupted by black on the veins; and the 

 orange-colored spot near the anal angle has not a black center. 

 On the thorax and head there is a yellow line extending from 

 the tip of the patagia to the base of the front legs, encircling 

 the inner edge of the eye, and including the palpi. 



Caterpillar. — The last two thoracic and the first abdom- 

 inal segments are enlarged. The body is pale velvety green 

 in color, specked and marked with lighter green. It is buff 

 below. The eye-spots on the third thoracic segment are black, 

 and have a glassy black pupil in a circle of orange. Scent- 

 organs yellowish brown. 



Food-plants. — Magnolia, Persea, sassafras. 



Palamedes looks like a giant male of the black 

 swallow-tail, as its wings are black and are mar- 

 gined and banded with yellow spots. The habits 



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