Page:Jardine Naturalist's Library Foreign Butterflies.djvu/111

101 PAPILIO ASCANIUS.

PLATE III. Fig. 1.

insect may be regarded as the type of another South American group, somewhat allied to the preceding in general appearance, and in the distribution of colours, but presenting at the same time considerable differences. The length of the hinder wings is proportionally much greater, and each of them has a pretty long spatula-shaped tail. In the species figured, the wings are deep-black above, inclining to brown on the under side; the superior pair with a broad transverse white band, crossed by black nervures, and surmounted by a white arch, or two or three small white spots at the extremity of the discoidal cell. The hinder wings are likewise traversed by a wide band, frequently deeply notched or palmate, white anteriorly, and tinged with carmine behind; beyond which there is a series of narrow, slightly lunate, red spots parallel with the margin; tail of moderate length, black: body black, with red spots on the sides of the breast and abdomen.

This beautiful butterfly is not uncommon in the northern regions of Brazil, but it becomes scarce in the south.