223 
THE SCARCE SWALLOW-TAIL A BRITISH INSECT. 
house.” (Curtis, MSS.) “ Mr. Haworth also told me that H. Sims struck at 
it with his forceps, and could have taken it with another net/’ (Dale, MSS.) 
4. J. C. Dale, Esq., A.M.—“I might have been deceived, but 1 am fully 
persuaded I saw a specimen of podalirius alive near Eltysley, Cambs., settled 
on some Rushes, and half expanded, facing the rising sun.” (July, 1818).— (Dale 
in letter to Peter Rylands.) 
5. B. Standish. — 44 That Swallow-tail that I saw last Summer at Richmond 
Park was seen by the same person that was with me when I saw it. He saw it 
nearly in the same spot, and it took nearly the same direction as it did last Sum¬ 
mer, which was about Sept. 20.—I cannot think but what it must be the scarce 
one , for I am.sure it was not the common one.” (Standish in letter to J. C. Dale, 
Esq., dated Oct. 11, 1820.) 
6. Rev. Dr. Abbott. —Mr. Haworth told Mr. Dale that 44 Dr. Abbott had 
informed him by letter of his having seen podalirius two or three times” previous 
to the capture of it hereafter mentioned. 
7. Rev. F. W. Hope, F.R.S.— 44 At Netley podalirius was again on the wing ; 
I saw it distinctly settle on a Peach, and was in quest of them two days without 
success.” (Hope in letter to J. C. Dale, Esq., dated Feb. 10, 1829.) 
8. Mr. Allis’s specimens, (see Naturalist , Vol. II., p. 38.) 
I shall now proceed to the second division of evidence, which must of course be 
deemed conclusive if the witnesses are trust-worthy, viz :— 
II.—Cases in which P . podalirius is stated to have been captured in Great 
Britain. 
(1.) Rev. F. W. Hope, F.R.S.— 44 My own successes have far out-run my 
expectations, and it will be a piece of news to inform you that I have captured 
the long-desired and much-doubted P. podalirius; since then I have seen 
another on the wing, but could not obtain it after toiling half a day.” (Hope in 
letter to J. C. Dale, Esq., dated Sept. 14, 1822.) 
(2.) Mrs. Plymley. —Mr. Hope writes,— 44 The caterpillar of podalirius has 
just been taken down in Shropshire, near the spot where I took the perfect insect 
on the wing — a Mrs. Plymley is feeding it, and if it comes out of the chrysalis 
I am to have it after it is painted.” In a subsequent letter the same gentleman 
says,— 44 My podalirius history may appear extraordinary, but it is still true , and 
had it not been Ichneumoned 1 should at this moment have two specimens of it. 
The caterpillar is green with orange spots, and exactly resembles Rosel’s fig. of 
it. The lady I allude to (Mrs. Plymley, of Lagnor) has collected Lepidoptera 
forty years, and has had the caterpillar brought to her more than once , and the 
Papilio in the year 1807; it feeds on the wild Bullace, a tree extremely common 
in the neighbourhood of Netley u [[the locality in which Mr. Hope’s specimen 
occurred]. (Hope in letters to J. C. Dale, Esq., date 1824.) 
