4 



The first brood of the butterfly appears on the wing the middle of May, 

 according to Lewin. The female lays her eggs in ten or twelve days after, 

 and in a week's time the young caterpillars come forth. In six or seven days 

 they cast their first skin ; about the end of June they change their skin for 

 the fifth and last time ; and in six or seven days after this they arrive at full 

 growth. They then prepare for their approaching metamorphosis by fixing 

 themselves with a strong belt of silk round the middle of their body, and by 

 the tail. In a day's time the chrysalis is complete, and this superb butterfly 

 comes forth in July following. The caterpillars from the eggs of this brood 

 are bred about the first week in August. After the usual shifting of their 

 skins they become full fed at the end of September, and change to a chrysalis 

 in a short time. In this state they remain through the winter, and the 

 butterflies are produced the following May. 



The chrysalides are most interesting objects to keep during the winter 

 months. As the spring advances, the colours of the butterfly begin to appear 

 faintly through their green envelope, and the pattern of the upper wings, 

 which only are visible, becomes at last distinctly perceptible, of course, in 

 miniature. This exit most frequently takes place in early morning, and his 

 wings being tiny things, hang limply from the comparatively ponderous body. 

 Their rapid growth is a matter of marvel, for in about an hour's time they 

 reach their full expanse, and ere many hours are over, they carry him with 

 most enviable celerity through the air. 



Abroad, Machaon has a wide range, being found in the North and West 

 of Asia, and the Himalayian mountains; in North Africa; and in Western 

 North America. In Europe it is found everywhere, except in the extreme 

 North of the Continent. 



In England it seems to have been formerly widely and plentifully dis- 

 tributed, but has never been recorded as an inhabitant of Ireland, Scotland, 

 or the Isle of Man. 



This butterfly was figured and described in the first entomological publica- 

 tion extant in Britain, an extensive one in folio, written in the Latin language, 

 and published at London in the year of our Lord 1634, by Thomas Mouffet, 

 entitled " Insectorum sine minimorum Animalium Theatrum." 



The next account of it we have is by John Eay, who, in his " Historia 

 Insectorum," published in 1710, mentions that he met with it in Sussex: and 

 Essex, and also that he found the caterpillar in Sussex on Pimpinella saxifraga. 



In 1717, Petifer gives it as being caught about London and divers counties 

 in England, yet rarely. He calls it the u Royal William," and adds " Its 

 size, beauty, and tail differs it from all others." 



Benjamin Wilkes writes, " The first brood appears in May, the second 



