PAPTLIO MACHAON. O 



and seventh segments, so that only the head and tail are 

 in contact with the stem. At the end of about a day 

 and a half suddenly the head and front segments are 

 jerked backwards four or five times in succession, next 

 the belly is brought close to the stem and the head 

 held up, and then in about five minutes the skin splits 

 open behind the head on the top of the back, and the 

 pupal thorax appears bulging out; presently is dis- 

 closed the top of the head, then the upper part of the 

 face, and with a few nodding motions the head is 

 freed, and the skin slowly but easily slides downwards 

 from each side (the cincture causing not the least 

 impediment), and as it goes drags away like little 

 threads the linings of the spiracles. Presently from 

 out of the collapsing skin is disclosed the tip of the 

 tail, and there is just time allowed for the observer to 

 see that it is quite hollow, when in another moment it 

 is fitted upon the cone of silk and strongly pressed 

 down, and with a repeated half-screwing motion the 

 attachment is made complete ; meanwhile the moisture 

 which exudes from the pupal surface has surrounded 

 and fairly embedded the cincture at its line of contact 

 with the back. 



The old shrivelled skin now rests in a heap between 

 the lower part of the abdomen and the stem, but is 

 presently, by a slight twisting movement on the part 

 of the pupa, caused to drop off ; the head and thorax 

 gradually develop themselves, the former into two 

 largish blunt diverging processes, the latter into a 

 central bluntly projecting eminence, with another on 

 either side ; the larval tubercles remain as small blunt 

 conical protuberances, the wing-covers form an angular 

 outline, and the back becomes dull and rough; just 

 four minutes elapse from the bursting of the larval 

 skin to the full disclosure.* 



The egg of Machaon is globular, having a depression 

 at the base in contact with the leaflet on which it 



* I must express my regret that I forgot to look for the connecting 

 membrane, which was discovered in Pieris and Vanessa by Dr. Osborne, 



