We have much pleasure in assuring our readers that the present figures of this very elegant and rare Papilio, are the first that have appeared in illustration of the species. This becomes the more incumbent to observe, because those figures afford an elucidation of some moment at least, to the writings of an Entomologist of acknowledged eminence, the late Professor Fabricius: he had described the species in his several works as above adverted to, under the name of Papilio Egæa, but these descriptions have remained before the learned world for nearly half a century without any pictorial illustration. The existence of such a species is therefore well known, but from description only, and this circumstance, it is presumed, will tend to confer more real interest upon the figures now produced, than if it had been entirely undescribed, because, heretofore, a deficiency has been in this respect perceived; and that deficiency is now supplied by the figures submitted to our readers in the annexed plate.
The first description of this species, as already intimated, to be found among authors, is that given by Fabricius in his Systematica Entomologia: subsequently it appeared in his work entitled Species Insectorum, and lastly in his Entomologia Systematica, as inserted among our synonyms. It is these authorities that have supplied Gmelin with the description of the species as we find introduced by him, into the last edition of the Linnæan Systema Naturæ.
The Fabrician description of this insect was taken in the first instance, Syst. Ent. from a specimen in the Hunterian collection: the same description occurs again in Spec. Ins. and lastly, in far more copious detail in Ent. Syst. This latter description given by Fabricius, though by some oversight of its author, not identified by any reference with the drawings of Mr. Jones, was certainly derived from that source of authority; a point we have been enabled to ascertain, both upon the kind information of our late worthy friend Mr. Jones himself, and also from the manuscripts in the hand-writing of Fabricius, which Mr. Jones was pleased to place in our hands, in order to assure us, there could be no uncertainty in this respect from any lapse of memory. Fabricius refers for his Papilio Egæa to the Hunterian cabinet. There was a specimen of this insect in that collection, but it may not be improper to observe that the specimen from which the drawing of this species, Papilio Egæa, by Mr. Jones, was taken, as it appeared from these MSS. was one preserved in the cabinet of Mr. Drury, the venerable author of a well known work on Exotic insects, published towards the close of the last century. We may also add, that this insect, with many others which Mr. Jones had figured, and Fabricius had described, from that extensive and valuable cabinet, devolved into our hands after the death of its proprietor, the whole collection having been dispersed by public sale in the month of May, 1805.
We have been thus minute in the production of authorities, in order to demonstrate that we have not ventured upon the hazard of conjecture to submit the present figures as those of the true Papilio Egæa of Fabricius; and, consequently, of all later writers who have relied upon his evidence. In stating this, it may not be amiss to add still further for the information, as well as the gratification of the Naturalist, not of this country alone, but of Europe generally; and indeed of every portion of the world to which the light of science may extend, that we are in possession of the like authorities for the whole series of those Papiliones which Fabricius has described from the drawings of Mr. Jones, and which, in most instances, are the only unequivocal authorities now remaining. Possessing this means, it shall become the great object of our care to rescue from obscurity and doubt that ample portion of the scientific writings of Fabricius, by similar illustrations of the more beautiful and rare species, of which no figures are extant, as often as we conceive the requisite variety of our a miscellany will permit[[10]] their introduction.
Papilio Egæa is a native of America; it is a species of that family which is distinguished by the name of Nymphales Gemmati, having eyes, or ocellated spots upon all the wings; it is represented in the annexed plate in a flying posture, as well as in its resting position.
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London. Published as the Act directs, by E. Donovan & Mess.rs Simpkins & Marshall, Aug.st 1, 1822.