CORRESPONDENCE. 
479 
Geological Society'—is £4. 14s. 6d., mounted and coloured; and the Book of 
Reference —which is a very important volume—£l. Is. These works have cost 
us an outlay of upwards of £20,000, besides labour and anxiety for more than 
seven years; and I have the gratification of adding, that they have obtained the 
sanction of most of the eminent scientific gentlemen in London and Edinburgh. 
******** 
Allow me to remain, Sir, 
Your most obedient servant, 
Neville Wood, Esq. Richard Nichols. 
Description of Papilio podalirius. 
To the Editor of the Naturalist. 
Dear Sir, — I have read with great pleasure the interesting paper in your 
February number (p. 227) by Mr. Rylands, on Papilio podalirius , and I feel 
assured that every British entomologist will be highly gratified with the able and 
decisive manner in which he has set at rest the long-disputed point as to whether 
this splendid Butterfly has ever been found in Britain. Mr. Pigott in a recent 
number (p. 364) asks for a description of the insect, with a plate, in order that 
he may discover whether any of his swallow-tails are of this species. Being 
fortunate enough to possess No. 145 of Curtis’s British Entomology , in which 
(as you mention) it is figured and described, I will transcribe for the use of Mr, 
Pigott, and any others who may possess British swallow-tails , the whole of folio 
578, leaving out the generic details. Mr. Curtis’s description is as follows :—■ 
“ Papilio podalirius , Linn. — Curt. Guide , Gen. 763,2. 
“ Whitish-yellow, superior wings with three broad black bands, the two 
basal ones continued down the inferior wings, the third with a long black 
spot on each side at the costa, which is orange, the posterior margin with 
a very broad black fimbria, divided by an orange stripe towards the apex : 
inferior wings with a broad black margin, an anal spot of the same 
colour, bearing a blue lunule, orange with a yellow margin, beneath 
ochreous; posterior margin with four or five blue lunules, the edges 
indented with ochreous crescents, lips of tails ochreous. 
u In the Cabinets of Mr. Read and Mr. Dale. 
u Two species of Papilio have been taken in England,— 
“ 1. P. Machaon , Linn.—Sam. Comp.,pi. 6,f 1. 
“ Wings yellow, nervures black, as well as the base and hinder margin, 
which bears a row of eight yellow spots: inferior with a black fimbria 
blue in the centre, with seven lunate yellow spots and a red one at 
the anal one. 
