12 
PAPILIO. By Dr. K. Jordan. 
with distinct horns; on the abdomen dorsally a row of humps or lobes on each side. — Tropical insects; one 
species distributed northwards to Japan; 2 species in North America; not represented in Europe, Central 
Asia or Africa, on the other hand one very peculiar species in Madagascar. The African Papilio zalmoxis and anti- 
viachus, placed here by some authors on account of their size, belong to the second division, the Fluted Papilios. 
In older works and in most collections we find a number of Aristolochia Papilios grouped together 
under the name of Ornithoptera. The term embraces the priamus, brookiana and pompeus groups, but is 
scientifically untenable, because not definable morphologically. Apart from the fact that the name Troides 
is older, all the Ornithoptera are true Papilio, as is proved even by the larva, which does not differ from the 
larvae of other Aristolochia Papilios in anything except perhaps its somewhat larger size. Apart from the 
size the characterisation of the group is only founded upon purely external peculiarities of form and colour¬ 
ing, some of which have broken down in the light of more recent discoveries. We therefore only mention 
the name Ornithoptera here on account of its having been adopted in older works and collections. With the 
single exception of P. aeacus, which is treated in vol. I (pi. 1), the whole of the Papilios which belong here 
are confined to the Indo-Australian Region. 
The Aristolochia Papilios of the Oriental Region are essentially insects of the forests and thickets; 
they principally fly in open spaces in the woods and at their edges and are often taken on flowering trees 
and shrubs. They usually flutter slowly through the air, though often high above the ground; but the larger 
species are adroit and powerful fliers. To this division belong the most beautiful of all Lepidoptera; New 
Guinea especially is rich in large forms with glittering green and gold The $ of P. alexandrae with the 
forewing 135 mm. long is the largest of all known butterflies, if not the largest of all Lepidoptera. 
P. victoriae is confined to the Solomon Islands, where this magnificent butterfly appears to occur 
on all the larger islands. The 3. subcostal of the forewing arises from the upper angle of the cell or distally 
to it, more rarely somewhat before the angle. Head and thorax entirely black; abdomen grey-yellow, stigma- 
spots and in the a row of subdorsal dots, as well as the base, black. Forewing of the <$ narrow, with scent- 
patch; cell very broad; a large basal area as well as a subapical area golden green; hindwing green, distally 
more or less golden, all round the margin and often also a part of the disc black. $ variable in size and 
markings; black-brown with yellowish white or white spots; forewing with a large basal spot in the cell and 
a second spot in the middle of it, these spots often confluent; 2 rows of spots between cell and distal margin; 
hindwing with large costal area and 2 rows of spots between cell and distal margin. Larva black, the tubercles 
entirely red. Pupa on the upperside yellow between the only moderately projecting wing-cases. The butterfly 
is not rare on some of the islands; but the are only taken in small numbers, as they fly quickly and high 
regis. and mostly remain in the tops of trees. The insect is not yet known from San Christoval. — regis Pothsch. 
is the most northerly form, discovered by Ribbe on Bougainville, where A. S. Meek afterwards captured a 
good series. The golden green subapical area of the long, especially the first spot longer than in the other 
subspecies; usually the area consists of only 2 spots, yet frequently a third is also developed and sometimes 
a fourth indicated. The spots of the $ are very variable, as in the other subspecies, but the submarginal spots 
isalellae. in regis are very small. — isabellae Pothsch. occurs on Ysabel and probably also on C'hoiseul. Connects 
regis with victoriae. The golden green subapical area of the forewing of the $ is longer and narrower than 
in victoriae, and shorter and broader than in regis. $ similar to that of regis, but the submarginal spots 
victoriae. larger. — victoriae Gray (6 a) we know from the islands of Guadalcanal’, Tulagi and Florida. The subapical 
area of the forewing of the consists of 3 spots and is about as long as broad; sometimes the third spot is very 
small, whilst in the only $ from Tulagi known to me a small fourth spot is present; many specimens bear on 
the hindwing black spots between the cell and the yellow submarginal spots. In the $ the fifth submarginal spot 
reginae. of the forewing is very small, sometimes entirely absent. — reginae Salv. inhabits Maleita. The subapical 
area of the forewing of theconsists of 4 spots, of which the last is small; the third spot is larger than in the 
other subspecies; the hindwing is velvety black between the cell and the submarginal spots, as is also the 
hindmarginal area. In the $ the discal and submarginal spots of both wings are large, and both the proximal 
rubianus. spots of the forewing and the discal spots of the hindwing are more or ’ess strongly yellow. — rubianus 
Pothsch. (6 b), from Rubiana and Kulambangra, is noticeable in the <$ for the great reduction of the subapical 
area of the forewing and the absence of the submarginal spots of the hindwing. In the $ the spot between 
the 2. median and the submedian of the forewing is placed transversely and is usually united with a longitu¬ 
dinal spot p aced before the submedian; the posterior basal spot is extended basad as far as the h ndmargin 
of the wing; the discal and submarginal spots of both w ngs are mostly very large; sometimes the white patches 
occupy the greater part of the wing. 
alexandrae. P. alexandrae Rothsch. (5 a, b). A wonderfu species from New Guinea only recently discovered 
by A. S. Meek, whose $ is the largest of all known butterflies. Body black; head small; breast red; abdomen 
very long, especially in the in the latter yellow, in the fj? grey-yellow, the base black. Neuration similar 
