PAPILIO NIREUS. Alis dentatis, nigris, fasciâ communi maculisque
viridibus; posticis breviter caudatis; his subtus fasciâ subargenteâ,
marginali, nervis divisâ. (Expans. Alar. unc. 4. lin. 8.)
SYN. Papilio Nireus, _Linn. Syst. Nat._ 2. _p._ 750. _No._ 28. _Fabr.
Ent. Syst._ III. 1. _p._ 36. _No._ 106. _God. Enc. Méth._ ix. _p._ 48.
_No._ 67. _Cram._ 187. A. B. & 378. F. G. _Herbst. Pap. tab._ 37. _f._ 1.
2. _Boisduval. Hist. Nat. Lepid._ 1. 224.
HABITAT: Sierra Leone (_Drury_). Coast of Guinea, Caffraria, Madagascar
(_Bdv._). India (_Linn. & Fabr._).
_Upper Side._ Head, thorax, and abdomen velvety black. Wings fine deep
black; with two narrow bars of a beautiful Saxon or blueish green colour,
which begin about the middle of the anterior edges of the anterior wings,
and crossing both them and the posterior, meet at the abdominal edges
near the {7}abdominal corners, running parallel with the external edges.
Anterior wings with two small blue spots placed on each near the tips,
and another, larger, divided into three by the nerves, near the middle of
the anterior edge; being placed at the top and even with the bar, but
divided from it by a small separation of black. The edges of these wings
are entire. Posterior wings with six blue spots on each, placed along the
external edges; the four lower ones being in pairs, and another small one
at the abdominal corners; margins deeply angulated.
_Under Side._ Breast and sides dark brown, spotted with white. Abdomen
brown. Wings dark brown hair-coloured, immaculate, except the posterior
ones, which have a row of eleven cream-coloured spots running along the
external edges.
The female differs from the male in being somewhat larger in size, with the
spots on the upper side of a brighter green colour, and with the marginal
row of spots on the under side of the posterior wings of a pearly greyish
hue, and with a tinge of this colour upon the disk of the wings. Cramer has
figured the male as the female, and vice versa. Mr. Smeathman informed Mr.
Drury that this insect feeds upon the orange and lime trees, about which
the butterfly is always seen flying, considering it as remarkable that most
of the insects which feed upon the orange or citron tribes, have some tinge
of green upon them; in like manner the beautiful green snake, so common
about Sierra Leone, is always to be found about these kind of trees. These
circumstances led our author into a series of observations which, though
upwards of half a century old, may still be read not only with pleasure,
but with the hope of beneficial results.
"The particular qualities, dispositions, and uses of by far the greater
part of insects, as well as of plants, are at present totally unknown to
us, nor are the methods by which we are to acquire that knowledge at
present ascertained.
"Their colours have hitherto been of no further use to us than merely to
discriminate one genus or species from another; and yet it is possible
that, by a combination of observations even on the colours of insects, we
may form some ideas of their natures and properties.
"The observation of Mr. Smeathman, if well founded, supposing it did not
lead to a discovery of the nature and properties of an insect itself, might
at least indicate those of the plant on which it feeds. The various species
of the _Danai Candidi_, among which are included the different white
butterflies of Europe, feed chiefly on such plants as are reckoned not only
nourishing, but salutary to the human body, such as the various species of
cabbages, coleworts, turnips, &c. Every foreign country produces
butterflies of that family; some of them so very like those of Europe, that
it is a fair inference they feed on plants of a similar property. This is
countenanced by many corroborating circumstances. The _Papilio Iris_, and
the various _Fritillary_ butterflies fly exceedingly swift; and it appears
from Mr. Smeathman's observations, that foreign butterflies that bear a
resemblance to them, also fly exceedingly swift. The green and golden
_Scarabei_ of this country are found to delight in flowers; those of the
hot climates are also found on flowers; while the black, {8}purple, and
darker coloured _Scarabei_, are generally found frequenting the excrements
of animals, and are, in every quarter of the globe, called Tumble
dung-beetles, from their making balls of those substances, and rolling them
to their holes. The locust tribes feed here chiefly on grasses and roots;
so it appears they do in the torrid zone. Those of the torrid zone are
found to be wholesome food. The inference is plain, that those of this
climate, in case of necessity, or perhaps even as an article of luxury,
might be found the same.
"The caterpillars of certain beetles, from his account, are the greatest
delicacies of the hot regions. They might, in some degree, be found to be
so here. The palm-worm of the West Indies, which is sought at a monstrous
expense, is the caterpillar or maggot of a beetle, of the same genus with
that small beetle, which is produced from the maggot or caterpillar in a
hazel-nut or filberd. This is often eaten here, and esteemed by those who
do so as more delicate than the nut itself.
"The Cantharides is a _green_ beetle. A green beetle of our own, _Cerambyx
Moschatus_, is found capable of raising blisters; and other _green_ beetles
may probably have the same effect.
"The butterflies that are found in the cultivated spots of Africa, have in
shape and appearance a strong resemblance to many of ours, particularly the
white ones. These seldom visit the thick woods; but, when seen in any
number, are certain indications of neighbouring plantations. This
observation might save the lives of bewildered travellers: as in some
instances it might be dangerous to enter into a very large wood, or a thick
part of it; in others again, immediate safety might be the consequence of
leaving a forest, by following the indications of an open or cultivated
spot. The analogy between the colours, the dispositions, and the qualities
of insects, may yet be greater, and between insects, and the plants on
which they feed, still more useful; for if an insect is found in one part
of the world to feed on a plant useful in food, medicine, or manufactures,
an insect of a similar appearance, in another part of the world, will in
all probability be found to feed on a plant of similar virtues. We do not
know but insects may affect, when perfect, to frequent different soils; or
to visit the recesses, where valuable drugs remain hid from human search,
and useless to mankind.
"As, however, observation and experience have demonstrated, through length
of time, that useful hints may be drawn from very trivial properties in the
smallest insects, it seems that none are unworthy of being noted. Future
travellers may draw useful inferences from those now given, and may add to
the number, for the benefit of those who follow after them. There can be no
doubt that every species of insect has its use in the creation, and
probably there are few from which mankind might not derive some advantage,
if their nature and properties were ascertained. We know of a few direct
methods, and must therefore in general wait with patience, till a variety
of observations, such as Mr. Smeathman has given us, by being frequently
compared, strike out new lights upon this part of {9}science, and elucidate
matters at this time buried in obscurity. The uses of many insects in the
creation are obvious at the first sight: such, for instance, are those
which feed on putrid animal or vegetable substances; while others promote
the general good by such remote means, that we cannot immediately see to
what end their operations verge. We are not therefore, however, to suppose
them mere expletives in the great system of beings; neither are we rashly
to attribute an importance to them which they do not deserve, or
ridiculously affect to admire circumstances in them of little moment, and
praise the Creator for dispositions of a secondary nature.
"When I recommend observations to be made on the most trivial
circumstances, it will readily be conceived I do not wish to derogate from
experiment, from which alone solid hopes are to be formed, and those which
have been hitherto made give great encouragement. Mr. Reaumur has found
that the moth, which feeds on clothes, refines the colour with which they
are dyed in a wonderful manner; for the excrement of the animal is the
colour of the cloth on which it is fed; and therefore, for miniature
paintings, infinitely surpasses all others. How far this kind of experiment
can be refined on, must be left to the curiosity and diligence of
travellers and experimental philosophers, who may perhaps, in some part of
the world, realize and improve this reasoning upon a large and useful
scale."