Plate III. fig. 1.
ORDER: Lepidoptera. SECTION: Diurna. FAMILY: Papilionidæ, _Leach_.
GENUS. PAPILIO, _Auct._ Papilio (Eq. Troj.) _Drury_.
PAPILIO ANTENOR. Alis dentatis concoloribus albo maculatis; posticis
caudatis; disco atomis viridibus lunulisque marginalibus rubris. (Expans.
Alar. 6 unc. 6 lin.)
SYN. Papilio (Eq. Troj.) Antenor, _Drury_, _App. vol._ 2. _Donovan Ins.
of India_, _pl._ 15. _f._ 1. _Fabr. Ent. Syst._ III. 1. _p._ 40. _No._ 9.
_Boisd. Hist. Nat. Lep._ 1. _p._ 189. _No._ 2.
HABITAT: Central Africa.
_Upper Side._ Antennæ red brown, but thickening gradually to the tips.
Head fine scarlet. Thorax velvety black. Abdomen white with scarlet
rings. Anterior wings black, with three rows of cream-coloured spots on
each; the two upper ones next the anterior edge being a little confused
by running into each other; the lower one, running parallel with the
external margin, is more regular. These spots, being nineteen in number,
are of different sizes and shapes; some being round, some oval,
triangular, &c. Posterior wings black, with two tails; having four rather
broad scarlet crescents placed above {5}each of them, the ends of which
are verged with cream. On the middle of each wing is placed a great
number of small powder-like spots of a golden green colour; and on the
abdominal edges, just below the body, are two scarlet and cream crescents
placed opposite each other. The upper part of each wing exhibits ten
cream-coloured spots of different shapes and sizes, whereof three are
larger than all the rest.
_Under Side._ Breast scarlet. Sides black. Abdomen scarlet, with white
rings. Wings coloured nearly as on the other side; the spots being rather
more distinct, the crescents broader, and the cream edges stronger than
on the upper side. All the wings are dentated; the superior very faintly,
the inferior very deeply.
Drury states that he was ignorant from what part of the world his specimen
(which was given to him by Mr. Leman) came from. No other individual of
this species is recorded to exist in the modern collections, and it is from
the figure and description of Drury that all subsequent writers have
derived their knowledge of this splendid and unique insect.
Donovan, however, figured this butterfly, or rather copied Drury's figure
in his beautiful work upon the Insects of India, observing merely that it
might be "mentioned with much propriety amongst the rarest of the Papilio
tribe found in India," without giving any account of the source from whence
his figure and information had been obtained.
At the sale of Mr. Drury's collection, this butterfly composed lot 4 of the
first day's sale, May 23, 1805, and was purchased by Mr. Latham at the
price of £2. 12_s._ 6_d._
The Rev. F. W. Hope, however, possesses a specimen, which he has informed
me, that he obtained in a small collection of rare insects from tropical
Africa, collected by the late Mr. Ritchie.