S-1141001_COMPLETO.pdf

SCARCE SWALLOW-TAIL. 5
My esteemed friend, J. C. Dale, Esq., the well-known ento­
mologist, is also certain that he saw one settled on some rushes
near Eltisley, Cambridgeshire, in July, 1818. The wings were
half-expanded towards the sun.
Mr. B. Stan dish was also certain that he saw this butterfly
on or about September 20th., 1829, near Richmond Park.
A friend of his, who was in his company when he saw this
one, saw another in 1820.
Dr. Abbot told Haworth that he had seen 'Podalirius' two or
three times previous to his capture of it, presently to be stated. -
Mr. Thomas Allis says as follows in " The Naturalist," old
series, vol. i., pages 38-9:—"Having noticed a good deal of
dissension respecting the genuineness of 'Papilio podalirius' as a
British insect, I take this opportunity of announcing, through
the medium of your journal, that I myself possess a pair which
I believe to be British. I met with them under the following
circumstances:—Happening to be at Portsmouth the summer
before last, for the first time, I enquired, as is my usual practice
on going to a town before unvisited by me, for collectors of
Natural History specimens: I soon found one, and among the
collection was a pair of the above-named species. The owner
assured me they were British, that they were caught by a
person she employed in the neighbourhood, and that she set
them up herself. As it would not have been worth her while
to have imposed on me in this instance, and especially as she
did not seem aware of the value of the specimens, I feel no
doubt but they were really British. She could not at the time
exactly inform me where they were taken, but on my return to
Portsmouth about a fortnight afterwards, she told me she
had learned, from the captor, that they were obtained in the
New Forest. From what I have said, I feel justified in con­
sidering mvself the fortunate possessor of specimens of British
Papilio podalirius."
The above relate only to "ocular demonstration;" now then
for those "stubborn things"—"facts." First, I have myself seen,
in the cabinet of my friend, the Rev. George Rudston Read,
Rector of Sutton-upon-Defwent, near Pocklington, the original