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PAPILIO MACHAON. 

 The Swallow -tailed Butterfly* 



Machaon, Linn., Macba'on. The hero of this name is mentioned by 

 Homer, II. ii. 731 — The two sons of iEsculapius, skilled in leechcraffc, 

 Podalirius and Machaon. 



There is no possibility of mistaking this noble insect for any other of our 

 native species, after a glance at its portrait. Its superior size, conjoined with 

 the possession of a pair of long tails on the hind-wings, would at once mark 

 it distinctly, independently of the peculiar markings and colour. 



In the colouring of the. wings, which expand from three to four inches, a 

 broad simplicity prevails, the general ground tint being a clear creamy yellow, 

 with the veins and marginal bands of the deepest velvety black. The broad 

 bands of black on the front wings are powdered toward the centre with yellow 

 scales, and those on the hind wings with blue scales. The only other colour 

 on this side is a large eye-like spot of red, blue, and black, at the anal angle 

 of the hind wings. The under side is very similar in colouring to the upper, 

 but the black markings are less decided and sharp, and there are several red 

 spots on the hind wings. 



Very few varieties have been found in England. There is one in the 

 British Museum, with the ground colour drab, instead of creamy yellow, and 

 others similar are in a few private collections. There is also a variety with 

 the veins of the hind wings obscured by the ground colour. The red of the 

 eye spot, at the anal angle, sometimes shows more or less between the veins 

 on the hind-margin. A variety named Sphyrus, which occurs in the South 

 of Italy and in Algiers, has more black on the fore wings, and less blue on 

 hind wings than the type. 



The egg, which is laid in June or July, is globular, of good size, and with 

 an apparently smooth surface. When first laid it is of a greenish yellow 

 colour, quickly turning green, and soon after tinged with violet-brown, gradu- 

 ally deepening to purple, and faintly showing the embryo through the shell, 

 which in a day or two turns entirely purplish- black, a process of change simi- 

 lar to that shown by a ripening black currant. The shell next assumes a light 

 pearly transparency, and the dark embryonic caterpillar coiled round within 

 is plainly visible, and in a few hours hatched (Buckler.) 



The caterpillar, which is a very handsome creature, is found feeding on 

 umbelliferous plants, among which, its chief favourites in this country appear 

 to be the wild carrot (Daucus carotaj, the March milk parsley (Peucedanum 

 palustre), and the wood angelica (Angelica *ylvestris.) In colour it is bright 

 green, with velvet black rings, which are spotted with yellow. When young 

 it is much darker. A distinguishing mark of this caterpillar is a reddish 



