  PAPILIO ANTIMACHUS.Plate I. Order: Lepidoptera. Section: Diurna, Latr. Family: PapilionidÆ, Leach. Genus. Papilio, Linn. (Section Equit. Troj.) &c. Papilio Antimachus. Alis nigris, anticis elongatis maculis fulvis, posticis subdentatis disco radiato rufo, nigro punctato; apice nigro lunulis marginalibus fulvis. (Expans. Alar. 8½ unc.) Syn. Papilio Antimachus, Drury, App. vol. 3. Fabr. Ent. Syst. 3. pt. 1. p. 11. No. 31. Donov. Nat. Repos. pl. 100. & 101. God. and Latr. Enc. MÉth. ix. p. 28. No. 8. Esper. Aus. Schm. t. 22. f. 2. Boisd. Hist. Nat. Lep. 1. p. 188. Habitat: Sierra Leone (Drury). Upper Side. AntennÆ brown. Head black, with eight whiteish spots on the top. Thorax black, with four white spots at the base of the anterior wings. Abdomen black at the base and at top, clay-coloured on the sides and extremity. Anterior wings black at the base, but at the extremities more of a brown colour, with eighteen different shaped marks and spots; those next the body dark orange, the others yellow clay-coloured, some being so faint as to be hardly discernible. Posterior wings slightly dentated, the inner scollops being edged with clay-coloured crescents. These wings, next the body, are of a dark orange; the remainder clay-coloured, with a broad black border running round each wing, from the upper corners to the abdominal ones; the inner sides being deeply indented, and the outer ones scolloped, with eight roundish black spots near the middle of each wing, one of which is supposed to be hid in the figure. Under Side. Head black, with two white spots in front. Palpi scarcely discernible. Breast and sides black, spotted with yellow. Abdomen clay-coloured. The middle of the superior wings has a black patch, on which are three orange-coloured spots, answering to three on the upper side; a long angular dark orange mark joins the anterior edges next the body, close to which are two roundish black spots; the extreme parts of these wings are of a dark greyish ash colour, the ribs being black. Posterior wings clay-coloured, with eight black spots, answering to those on the upper side: the black border being narrower on this side, and the inner edges much deeper indented. This magnificent butterfly is so exceedingly rare that M. Boisduval, whose knowledge of the European Collections is very extensive, questions whether there exists any other specimen than that originally figured by Drury. Mr. Jones also, whose splendid Collection of Drawings are so frequently quoted by Fabricius, copied this insect, figuring both the upper and under sides, which figures have been lately published by Mr. Donovan in his Naturalist's Repository. Mr. Donovan also adds, that from the manuscripts of Mr. Drury, "we find that he received this insect in 1775, from Mr. Smeathman, an assiduous and very intelligent naturalist stationed at Sierra Leone." "From the observations of Mr. Smeathman it may be imagined that this insect is not unfrequent in that particular part of Africa, but that its capture is attended with considerable difficulty, as well from the manner of its flight, as the time when it appears on the wing; it is seen only in mid-day, when every exertion under the direct influence of a vertical sun must be painful to an European. Its flight is also remarkable for its velocity, and to increase the difficulty of taking it, the insect frequents only the upper branches of the trees, from whence it darts and glances from one branch to another, and never descends nearer to the ground than the height of eight feet. Mr. Smeathman observes also, that it turns its head about instantly to the glade or path, and will not suffer any person to approach within 'striking distance' of it, but will dart away on the least motion of the body; if the naturalist however exerts his patience, it will at last become more familiar and careless, and is then to be caught upon some particular branch, to which it will appear more attached than to another." Mr. Donovan however suggests, that the insect must be not only exceedingly local, but also of great rarity. |
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