Zoological Illustrations Series II/Plate 105
PODALIRIUS Pompilius.
PODALIRIUS Pompilius,
Pompilius, or Javanese Swallow-tail.
Sub-family Papilionæ. Genus Papilio. Sub-genus Podalirius. Nob.
Sub-Generic Character.
Wings trigonal, acute, yellow, with black transverse bands, the inferior with two long narrow acute tails; Antennæ short, the club thick and solid at the base, but greatly compressed at the tip, where it is concave beneath; head small, front hairy; Larva smooth; Pupa braced in an erect position.
Type Podalirius Europæus. Nobis.
Specific Character.
Wings above pale yellow, the anterior with five short, black, stripes across the areola; and two others, much longer and broader, close to the exterior margin: posterior wings without lunulate spots.
Papilio Pompilius. Fab. Mantissa 2. p. 8. Ent. Syst. 3. 1. p. 25. Ency. Meth. 1. p. 49. Horsf. Cat. pl. 3. fig. 5. 5. a. (larva and pupa.)
We may term this the Javanese Swallow-tail, for in that and the other Indian islands it appears to be not uncommon. We are indebted to the elegant Catalogue above quoted, for our figures of the larva and pupa; and to the rich collection of Mrs. Children for the examination of the perfect insect.
Entomologists will doubtless feel surprize that this and the Protesilaus on our last plate, should be placed as distinct types in two different genera. We have not done this without long deliberation; but we cannot, in a work of this nature, enter into those details which would demonstrate these divisions to be truly natural, in the most rigid acceptation of the word. We desire not, however, that Entomologists should adapt our views,—at least for the present. We hope, indeed, that they will not, because experience has shewn, that until a theory has been fully explained, more injury than good results to science, from injudiciously adopting, and hastily applying, a system not understood. We only desire, in short, to record our views, that they may be comprehended hereafter. We consider this as the Thrysanuriform type of the sub-genus, and our English Papilio Machaon of authors, as the Heliconian.—Tempus ducamus.