Sect. a.
Caterpillars without any Protuberances, whose Chrysalis is fixed by the Tail, and hangs in an Horizontal Position, by Means of a Thread fastened round the Back and on each Side, and producing Swallow-Tail Butterflies.
L. 3. Ch. 1.
I.
Cl. 1. S. a. 1.
The SWALLOW-TAIL BUTTERFLY is produced twice a Year. The first Brood appears in May, the second towards the End of July. Being in a Meadow near Cookham, in Kent, on the 5th Day of August, 1748, I observed a Female Swallow-Tail hovering over certain Plants, which taking particular Notice of, I found to be the Meadow Saxifrage, and examining them carefully, I discovered four Eggs just laid by the Fly, wherewith I was highly pleased. On the 13th of the same Month these Eggs produced Caterpillars, of Size and Colour as expressed at Figure 1. On the 19th one of the Caterpillars shifted its Skin, and appeared like Figure 2. On the 23d it changed again to the Likeness of Figure 3. On the 4th of September it became like Figure 4. On the 11th of the same Month it appeared in its fifth and last Skin, which was extreamly beautiful, as expressed at Figure 5. On the 22d the Caterpillar was full grown, and fixed itself in the Manner of Figure 6, in order to change into the Chrysalis 7, which was produced on the 26th of September; in which State it remains, January 20, 1748-9. I fed the Caterpillar from its being first hatched with the green Leaves of the common Carrot, which it eat plentifully. This fine Butterfly may be taken in the Meadows and Clover Fields about Cookham, near Westram, in Kent, at the Times above-mentioned. It flies so swiftly that it is in vain to follow it, you must therefore wait ’till it settles, and then, if you are near, be nimble, and you may catch it without much Difficulty. The Flies are represented in the next Plate numbered the same as this.
See Reaumur, Pl. 29. Pag. 486. Also Pl. 30. Vol. 1. Pag. 486.
L. III. ch. I.