187 
■.TC^NA MEDON (AGE8TIS) AND ARTAXERXES, ARE THEY DISTINCT? 
BY PBOF. P. C. ZELLEE. 
j (Translated and extracted from the " Stettiner Ent. Zeitung," 1868, pp. 401—405. 
Englishmen consider it as now proved,* and Staudinger in his 
:5atalogue follows their precedent, that Artaccerwes is only a variety of 
Ifedon, the transition to which is formed by Salmacis, Steph. That 
he latter belongs to Medon cannot be doubted ; but the former does 
ot yet seem to me so sure as not to necessitate confirmatory experi- 
lents. What probably constitutes the rule with Salmacis, namely, 
lat white scales border the black median spot of the fore-wings on 
oth sides, I notice only in some specimens of Medon from the South 
:• Europe and Asia Minor, where it is more or less finished on the inner 
de by a few white scales. But that, as in Artaxers^es, the whole 
ack spot should be missing, and the white scales so much increased 
stead, as to form a white oval spot, has probably nowhere been 
)served on the continent. The natural history of Artaa;erxes is, 
■ all events, well known to Englishmen. Stainton writes (Manual, 
62)— "Larva pale bluish-green, with a green dorsal line and a 
nkish lateral one; head glossy black. On SeliantTiemum vulgare in 
-ay ; time of appearance of imago June and July." I doubt not but 
at in some one of the many English publications, which I am sorry 
say are mostly unknown and unused on the continent, the natural 
story is given at length. The same is no doubt the case with Medon; 
r, if the description of its larva taken from Westwood, and in the 
anual,— "green, with a pale angular dorsal row of patches, and a 
How-brownish dorsal line,"— should still be considered as correct, it 
not to be understood how people in England could have their doubts 
out the most complete specific diff'erence between Medon and Arta- 
rxes. The natural history of our common Medon I have carefully 
served from the egg, and described in the Ent. Mo. Mag., vol. iv., 
. 73—77. I therefore mention here only the following. Stainton 
3 indicated the correct food-plant, but the full-grown larva must be 
as described :— " Lively pale green, finely white-haired ; the head 
.ek; the dorsal line purplish-brown; with two very pale green 
iique lateral lines, and broad purplish-red lateral swellings." 
It is owing to the kindness of my friend, Mr. Henry Doubleday, of 
pmg, that I have become acquainted with the caterpillar of Arta- 
'xes in nature ; I got from him four larvae, which, after having probably 
■» In Staintou's Manual I. (1857) L. Agettii (Medon) and Artaxerxes were still kept separate. 
