The Naturalist's Repository, Volume 1 (of 5): or Monthly Miscellany of Exotic Natural History: etc. etc.Donovan, E. (Edward)
Science
The Naturalist's Repository, Volume 1 (of 5): or Monthly Miscellany of Exotic Natural History: etc. etc.
Donovan, E. (Edward)
Zoology -- Pictorial works
Papilio Marcellina is a butterfly of peculiar simplicity and beauty in
its general effect. The upper surface is of a fine yellow with a
singular subocellate spot or stigma of a reddish brown in the centre of
the anterior wings, and a series of double spots of the same colour,
disposed towards the exterior margin both of the anterior and the
posterior pair. The lower surface, as we perceive from the Butterfly at
rest, with the wings erect in the upper part of the plate, is rather
more of an orange or fulvous hue, and instead of having the disk
immaculate like the upper surface, except the stigma in the anterior
wings, are sprinkled with reddish brown. The centre of the wings, as
well the posterior as the anterior pair, are marked with two silver
spots, and which, from their near approximation, may be denominated,
according to the language of Fabricius, a geminous or double spot of
silver.
This elegant insect is figured from a specimen in the collection of the
celebrated Dr. Hunter, the individual example described and referred to
by Fabricius in his _Species Insectorum_ and _Entomologia Systematica_
as expressed among the synonyms above recited.
The Papilio Marcellina has appeared already in the costly work of
Cramer, upon the Papiliones tribe, we are nevertheless induced to
present a figure of the species to our readers, in order to point out
the very close affinity that prevails between this insect and another
much more frequent species named Papilio Sennæ. This latter mentioned
Butterfly is figured by Sloane, Merian, and Seba; Papilio Marcellina by
Cramer only. These insects resemble each other, but are nevertheless
distinct; the specific character of Papilio Sennæ consists chiefly,
according to Linnæus, in having the double spot in the centre of each
wing of a ferruginous colour, while in Papilio Marcellina that
characteristic mark has the exact appearance of two approximating spots
of molten silver. The tips of the wings in Papilio Sennæ are sometimes
spotted as in Marcellina and are sometimes destitute of spots.
Both these analogous species are natives of Surinam; Sloane describes
Papilio Sennæ, in his Natural History of Jamaica, as an inhabitant of
that island.
FIGURE II.
PAPILIO AGAVE.
AGAVE BUTTERFLY.
ORDER
LEPIDOPTERA.
GENERIC CHARACTER.
Antennæ thicker towards the tip, and generally terminating in a knob;
wings erect when at rest. Fly by day.
* DANAI CAND.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER
AND
SYNONYMS.
Wings entire rounded yellow; anterior pair at the tip black above,
beneath sanguineous brown.
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