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GENUS I. BUTTERFLIES. 



SEC. VI. SWALLO W-T A I L. 



Caterpillars fmooth, without hairs ; they fix themfelves by the tail, and with 

 a band round the middle, as an additional fecurity to the chryfalis. 



S P. XL. S W A L L O. W-T A I L. 



PL 34. 



Machaon. Linnœus. 

 Swallow-Tail. Harris. 



The firft brood of this butterfly appears on the wing the middle of May. 

 The female lays her eggs in ten or twelve days after, and in a week's time the 

 young caterpillars come forth. In fix or feven days they fhift their firft fkinj 

 about the end of June they change their fkin for the fifth and laft time ; and in 

 fix or feven days after this they arrive at their full growth, as at fig. 1. They 

 then prepare for their approaching metamorphofis, by fixing themfelves with a 

 ftrong tie round the middle, and by the tail. In a day's time the chryfalis is 

 complete, as at fig. 1 ; and this fuperb butterfly comes forth in July following. 

 The caterpillars from the eggs of this ftock are bred about the firft week in 

 Auguft. After the ufual fhifting of their fkins, they become full fed the end 

 of Septembers and change to chryfalis in a fhort time. In this ftate they re- 

 main through the winter, and the flies are produced in May following. The 

 caterpillars of this butterfly feed moftly on the wild carrot, and fometimes on 

 the dwarf yellow trefoil, that grows in pafture lands. The fly is exceedingly 

 iwift in flight, and muft be watched till it fettles to feed or reft, when it may 

 be taken without much trouble. This infect is not common, either in the 

 caterpillar, or the more perfect ftate. The male is fmalkr, but in other 

 refpects perfectly agrees with the female, which is reprefented as flying at fig. 5, 

 and at reft, with the wings erect, at fig. 4. 



