PAPILIO PHILENOR.Plate XI. fig. 1. and 4. Order: Lepidoptera. Section: Diurna. Family: PapilionidÆ, Leach. Genus. Papilio, Auct. Pap. Philenor. Alis dentatis nigris, posticis caudatis virescenti-nitidis maculis albis, subtus maculis fulvis albo notatis serieque digestis. (Expans. Alar. unc. 3¾). Syn. Pap. Philenor, Linn. Mant. (1771). 6. 535. Fabr. Syst. Ent. p. 445. No. 12. Smith and Abbot, Ins. Georgia, Vol. 1. tab. 3. Encycl. MÉth. 9. 40. Boisduval, Hist. Nat. Lepid. 1. p. 324. No. 167. Boisd. et Leconte, Icon. Lep. Amer. Sept. pl. 11. f. 1-4. Say, American Ent. Vol. 1. pl. 1. Pap. Astinous. Drury, App. Vol. 2. (1773). Cramer, 208. A. B. Habitat: North America, from New York to Georgia. Upper Side. Head and neck black, with two small white spots between the antennÆ at their base, and eight more on the head and neck. Thorax black. Abdomen of a glossy hue. Anterior wings black, with a very glossy greenish tinge at the anterior angle, with eight small, white, narrow crescents on the external margin of each, which make them appear as if dentated. Posterior wings of a dark glossy green, with two tails issuing from them. The concave part of each scollop is edged with white; and six whitish spots run along their edges, meeting below the extremity of the body. Under Side. Breast, legs, and abdomen black; the sides spotted with cream-coloured spots, one of which appears on the inferior wings, on each side the breast. Anterior wings, next the tips, are of the colour of soot; but next the body, black, with five whitish spots on the external margin, near the interior angle. The upper part of the posterior wings, next the body, are soot-coloured; the remaining parts of them being of a glossy blue, with seven dark orange spots, placed in a circular manner, a little distance from the edge, and meeting at the extremity of the body: each spot is encircled with black, except in that part where a small silver mark appears on its edge, being represented in the plate by white. The scollops are deeper edged on this side with white than on the upper. This butterfly is one of the most beautiful, and, at the same time, most common of the North American species; abounding wherever the Aristolochia serpentaria grows, the larva feeding upon that plant. It is described by Boisduval and Abbot, and is brown, with four rows of small fulvous tubercles, and a row of brown spines near the legs; moreover, it has two long spines directed forwards upon the first segment, three upon the penultimate, and two upon the tenth segment. The neck is also furnished with a furcate retractile reddish tentacle; the chrysalis is of a violet grey, or reddish colour, with two yellow spots, the head being truncate. The female is larger, with brown-coloured wings, with cupreous reflections. The insect assumes the chrysalis state on the 26th of April, and the fly appears on the 4th of May. Another, observed by Abbot, went into chrysalis on the 21st of June, and the butterfly came out on the 5th July. The latter delights to frequent the blossoms of the peach and other trees in the spring. PAPILIO ASTERIAS.Plate XI. fig. 2. 3. and 5. Order: Lepidoptera. Section: Diurna. Family: PapilionidÆ, Leach. Genus. Papilio, Auct. Papilio Asterias. Alis dentatis nigris, fasci maculari maculisque marginalibus flavis; posticis caudatis, angulo ani fulvo, puncto atro, abdominis dorso duplici serie punctorum flavorum. (Expans. Alar. 3 unc. 6 lin.—4 unc.) Syn. Papilio Asterias, Fabr. Mant. Ins. tom. 2. p. 2. No. 13. Ent. Syst. III. 1. p. 6. No. 16. Cramer, tab. 385. f. C. D. God. Enc. MÉth. ix. p. 58. No. 91. Boisduv. et Lec. Icon. Lep. Amer. Sept. pl. 4. Boisd. Hist. nat. Lep. 1. 332. No. 175. Papilio Troilus, Drury, App. Vol. 2. Abbot and Smith, Ins. Georg. 1. t. 1. (exclus. Syn. Linn. et Fabr.) Habitat: New York, Maryland, Carolina, Virginia (Drury). Upper Side. AntennÆ, head, and body black, with two yellow spots at the bases of the antennÆ, and two more on the neck; the sides of the abdomen being spotted with two rows of the same. Under Side. The under side in all the different varieties differs but very little. The breast, sides, abdomen and feet are black. The anterior wings of a dirty black colour, with nine yellow spots near the external edge; above these, nearer the body, are eight others, varying in size, and two small clouds or patches close to the anterior edge. Posterior wings, next the shoulders, dirty black, with the inner scollops edged with yellow crescents (appearing also on the upper side), within which are six spots near the edge—four orange and two yellow. Seven or eight orange spots, tipped with yellow, run circularly across the middle of the wing. Below each spot in this row is a ray of shining blue, separated by a strong black mark, and scattered with powder-like spots. An orange spot, with a black centre, is placed at the anal angle. This species is subject to considerable variation in the size of the internal series of yellow spots, which is sometimes even entirely obliterated in the females, in which the yellow is much less brilliant, and the spots smaller than in the males. These varieties somewhat resemble Papilio Troilus of LinnÆus, with which, indeed, Drury and Smith[21] confounded the insect here described. Godart and Boisduval have added to the confusion by their incorrect references to our author, the first of these writers giving figure 2 of this plate as alone representing P. Asterias, and figs. 3, 4, and 5, (which represent two distinct species) as P. Troilus, Linn. which species Drury has not figured; and both of these authors quoting figure 2, both under Troilus and Asterias, although Drury expressly states, that the specimens figured at 2 and 3, were reared by him, with many other individuals, from chrysalides, sent from America by his correspondent, who assured him that they proceeded from the same brood. The preparatory states of P. Asterias are figured by Abbot and Smith, and Boisduval. The larva feeds upon UmbelliferÆ, especially the fennel (Anethum fÆniculum, Linn.), and Daucus Carota, and is very similar to that of Pap. Machaon, which species appears to be replaced in America by P. Asterias, and which makes its appearance in the perfect state three times in the year. Abbot states, that one of the caterpillars assumed the chrysalis state on the 12th of July, and the imago appeared on the 20th. |