THE ASTERIAS BUTTERFLY. 
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pale green, ochre-yellow, or ash-gray color, with two short 
ear-like projections above the head, just below which, on the 
upper part of the back, is a little prominence like a pug- 
nose. The chrysalis hangs in the same way as the cater- 
pillar, and remains in this state from nine to fifteen days, 
according to the temperature of the atmosphere, cold and wet 
weather having a tendency to prolong the period. When 
this is terminated, the skin of the chrysalis bursts open, and 
a butterfly issues from it, clings to the empty shell till its 
crumpled and drooping wings have extended to their full 
dimensions, and have become dried, upon which it flies away 
in pursuit of companions and food. 
This butterfly is the Papilio Asterias 5 of Cramer. (Plate 
IV. Fig. 4.) It is of a black color, with a double row of 
yellow dots on the back ; a broad band, composed of yellow 
spots, across the wings, and a row of yellow spots near the 
hind margin ; the hind wings are tailed, and have seven blue 
spots between the yellow band and the outer row of yellow 
spots, and, near their hinder angle, an eye-like spot of an 
orange color with a black centre ; and the spots of the under 
side arc tawny orange. The female (Plate IV. Fig. 5) 
differs from the male, above described, in having only a few 
small and distinct yellow spots on the upper side of the 
wings. The wings of this butterfly expand from three and 
a half to four inches. 
During the month of July the Asterias butterflies may be 
seen in great abundance upon flowers, and particularly on 
those of the sweet-scented Phlox. They lay their eggs, in 
this and the following month, on various umbellate plants, 
placing them singly on different parts of the leaves and 
stems. I have found the caterpillars on the parsley, carrot, 
parsnip, celery, anise, dill, caraway, and fennel of our gar- 
dens, as well as on the conium, cicuta, sium, and other 
native plants of the same natural family, which originally 
1 5 the synonymea of P. Asterias are P. Troilus Smith Abbot, I. pi. 1; P. Ajax 
Glerck, Icon., t. 88 ; P. jiali/xtnts Fab. — Mourns.] 
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