Butterflies and moths (British)

Preface

The favourable reception with which the ‘ Out-door World ’ has been greeted has encouraged the publishers to issue a series of volumes dealing in fuller detail with the various branches of Natural History treated of in that work. Necessarily each subject was only briefly touched upon, but the study is of so enticing a character that ‘ appetite grows by feeding,’ and the students of the ‘ Out-door World,’ having tasted the sweetness of companionship with Nature, will not rest satisfied with the help afforded by that handbook. Each one will want to go deeper into that particular department which most appeals to his own inclinations.

The present volume is written expressly for those who desire to extend their knowledge of the British Lepidoptera, or, to use the more popular names, ‘ Butterflies and Moths.’

The general characteristics of this interesting order of insects are described somewhat fully, but, of course, it would be impossible to give an individual account of all the British Lepidoptera in a work of this size, so a selection has been made such as will satisfy the requirements of the great majority of those who intend to take up this particular branch

VI

P HE FACE of entomology. The number of British Butterflies, however, is so limited that a place has been found for a figure and a description of every species ; and, of the larger moths, many of the common and typical kinds have been included. An introduction to the study of the Micro -lepidoptera has also been added.

No trouble has been spared to render this work thoroughly practical. In addition to the verbal descriptions of so many species, twelve coloured plates and a large number of woodcuts have been specially prepared to help the student in his work. It is believed that the extreme care with which these have been produced will render them of the greatest assistance to the collector in the recognition of his specimens.

But he has not only to recognise his specimens— he must first catch them ; and here full directions have been given to insure success in this part of his work, as well as hi the management, preservation, and arrangement of his captures.

The Author hopes that this volume may be the means of adding many happy hours — hours of the purest enjoyment— to the lives of those whom he has succeeded in luring into the fields and lanes and woods of the Out-door World.

Part I Structure And Life History Of The Lepidoptera

CHAP. TAGB

I. GENERAL CHARACTERS 1

II. THE EGG 16

III. THE LARVA 22

IV. THE PUPA OR CHRYSALIS 10

V. CLASSIFICATION OE THE LEPIDOPTERA 55

Part II

VI. CATCHING BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS . . . . . . 63

VII COLLECTING OVA, LARV.55, AND I'UP.E 98

Vm. REARING LEPIDOPTERA 112

IX. SETTING AND PRESERVING 122

X. PRESERVING OVA, LARVAE AND PUP/E 130

XI. THE CABINET— ARRANGEMENT OE SPECIMENS .... 134

Part III

XII. THE SWALLOW-TAIL AND THE ‘ WHITES ’ 139

XIII. THE FBITILLARIES, VANESSAS, AND THE PURPLE EMPEROR . 154

XIV. THE BROWNS AND HEATHS . . . . . . . 173

XV. THE RAIRSTREAKS, COPPERS AND BLUES .... 183

XVI. THE DUKE OE BURGUNDY AND THE SKIPPERS . . . . 196

CONTENTS viii

Part IV

CHAP. X'AGE

XVII. SPHINGES 203

XVIII. BOHBYCES 217

XIX. THE NOCTU2E 239

XX. GEOMETRY 268

XXI. THE JIICRO-LEPIDOPTERA 290

I. COMPLETE CLASSIFIED LIST OF BRITISH MACRO -LE PI DOPTERA . 309

II. THE LEPIDOPTERIST’S CALENDAR 326

References to Coloured Plates 347

Index 351

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

8. LauvjE and Pup/f. of British Butterflies >

10. Bombyces f

11. Noctuas

12. Noctua and Geometry . • • •

Full references accompany the Plates.

Frontispiece

. At end

ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE TEXT

PIG.

1. Scales from the Wings of Butterflies . . . •

2. Portion of the Wing of a Butterfly from which some oi

the Scales have been removed ....

3. Body of a Butterfly — Under Side

1. Section of the Eye of an Insect ....

5. Antennas of Butterflies .

6. Antennas of Moths ......

7. Section of the Proboscis of a Butterfly . . .7

8. Diagram of the Wings of a Butterfly . . . . 9

9. The Undeveloped Fore Leg of a Butterfly . . .10

10. The Four Stages of the Large White Butterfly (Pier is

11. Egg of the Meadow Brown Butterfly . . . .20

12. Egg of the Speckled Wood Butterfly . . 20

13. Egg of the Vapourer Moth . . . • .20

14. The Caterpillar of the Clouded Yellow Butterfly . . 22

13. The Caterpillar of the Dark Green Fiutillaky Butterfly 23

X

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

FIG.

16. The Caterpillar of the Purple Emperor Butterfly

17. An Ichneumon Fly ( Crypt ua Migrator) .

18. Another Ichneumon Fly (Pimpla Instigator )

19. The Caterpillar of the Angle Shades Moth (Meticuloaa) .

20. Walking Leg of a Caterpillar

21. Larva of the Yellow Underwing Moth ( Pronuba ) .

22. Larva of the Crimson Speckled Moth (. Pulchella ) . .

23. Larva of the Lobster Moth ( Fagi ) .

21. Caterpillar of the Iron Prominent Moth ( Dromedarius )

25. Larva of the Brimstone Moth ( Luteolata )

26. The Claspers of a Caterpillar

27. The Homes of Leaf Miners and Leaf Rollers

28. The Cocoon of the 'Emperor Moth .

29. The Cocoon of the Six-Spotted Burnet (Filipendidce)

SO. The Pupa of the Privet Hawk (Ligustri) . . .

31. The Chrysalis of the Large White Butterfly (Brassicce) .

32. The Pupa of the Dark Green Fritillary ( Aglaia )

33. The Pupa of the Black-veined White Butterfly ( Cratcegi )

81. The Pupa of the Currant Moth . . . . .

85. Pupa of the Pale Tussock Moth ( Pudibunda ) .

86. A Butterfly, just after Emerging .

37. A Butterfly at Rest (Large Copper) .... 88. A Moth at Rest (Gothic)

39. A Wire Frame for a Butterfly Net ....

40. Stick for the Net ....

11. The Metal Y .

42. Pattern for the Net .....

43. The Cyanide Bottle .

44. Section of the Laurel Box .....

45. The Chloroform Bottle ......

48 (■FlTTINGS foe the Collecting Box .

PAG K 21 25

26 28 28 28 28 29

51 57 65

68 70 72

50. Frame of Net for Collecting Insects on Lamps and Win-

51. A Trap for Catching Moths . . . . .88

52. Metal Joint for Lantern and Net . . . . . 91

58. Net and Lantern for Taking Moths from High Blossoms . 91

51. Frame for the Sugaring Net . . . . , . 91

55. Cage for Decoy Females . . . . . .96

58. A Larva Glass . ....... ill

60. Section of a Setting Board . . . . . . 123

61. Sections of Setting Boards ..... 128

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xi

62. A Butterfly on the Setting Board . . • • 7^4

63. Another Method of Setting Butterflies and Moths . 125

64. A Blowpipe for Larvae . . • • • • 131

66. The Bath White — Under Side . . • • • 147

66. The Clouded Yellow — Female . • • • l5*

67. The Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary — Under Side . . 155

68. The Pearl-bordered Fritillary — Under Side . . .156

69. The Queen of Spain Fritillary— Under Side . . .157

70. The Dark-green Fritillary — Under Side . . • 158

71. The High-brown Fritillary ..... 159

72. The Silver-washed Fritillary — Under Side . . . 150

73. The Greasy Fritillary— Under Side .... 161

74. The Glanville Fritillary — Under Side . . . . 162

75. The Comma — Under Side ...... 164

76. The Purple Emperor — Under Side . . . • 172

77. The Marbled White — Under Side .... 174

78. The Wood Argus— Under Side . . • 176

79. The Grayling — Under Side ..... 178

80. The Large Heath— Under Side . . . • 179

81. The Rtnglet— Upper Side ...... ISO

82. The Marsh Ringlet — Under Side . . . . 181

83 The Brown Hairstreak — Male ..... 184

84. The White letter Hairstreak ■ . . • . 184

85. The Purple Hairstreak — Male ..... 186

86. The Green Hairstreak . . . . . . . 186

87. The Tailed Blue— Under Side ..... 188

88. The Silver-studded Blue — Under Side . . . . 189

89. The Common Blue — Under Side ..... 191

90. The Clifden Blue — Under Side . . . . . 191

91. The Chalk-hill Blue— Under Side .... 192

92. The Holly Blue — Under Side . . . . . 198

93. The Mazarine Blue— Under Side ..... 194

94. The Small Blue — Under Side . . . . . . 194

95. The Large Blue— Under Side ..... 195

96 The Silver-spotted Skipper — Under Side . . . . 201

97. The Death’s-head Hawk Moth ..... 205

98. The Larva of Atropos ....... 206

99. The Caterpillar of Euphorble ..... 207

100. The Small Elephant Hawk Moth . . . . . 208

102. The Broad-bordered Bee Hawk . . . . 212

103. The Hornet Clearwing of the Poplar .... 213

104. The Currant Clearwing . . . . . 213

106. The Six-spotted Burnet . . . . . . 215

107. The Larva of Filipendul.e ..... 215

108. The Green Silver-lined , ,. , . , . 217 xii

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PIG.

PAGE

The

Short-cloaked Moth .

.. 218

The

Muslin. Moth

. 218

The

Common Footman

. 219

The

Larva op Jacob®* .

. 219

The

Scarlet Tiger .

. 220

The

Bupp Ermine

. 222

The

White Ermine .

. 222

The

Ghost Swift — Female

. 223

The

Common Swift .

. 224

The

Goat Moth .

. 225

The

Larva op Ligniperda (less

THAN HALF FULL SIZE)

. 225

The

Leopard Moth

. 226

The

Larva op Pyrina (only partly grown)

. 226

The

Brown Tail

. 227

The

Gipsy — Male

. 227

The

Black Arches— Male

. 228

The

Vapourer Moth — Male

. 228

The

Female Vapourer .

. 228

Larva op the Vapourer Moth

. 229

The

Drinker — Male

. 230

The

Oak Hqok Tip

. 233

The

Chinese Character

. 233

The

Poplar Kitten .

. 234

The

Puss Moth .

. 235

The

Coxcomb Prominent

. 235

The

Larva of Bucephala

. 230

The

Chocolate Tip .

. 237

The

Peach Blossom

. 237

The

Yellow Horned .

. 238

The

Marbled Beauty

. 240

The

Grey Dagger

. 240

The

Poplar Grey

. 241

The

Figure of Eight

. 241

The

Brown-line Bright-eye

. 242

The

Smoky Wainscot

. 243

The

Common Wainscot .

. 243

The

Bullrush .

. 244

The

Frosted Orange

. 245

The

Flame

. 245

The

Light Arches

. 246

The

Flounced Rustic

. 246

The

Cabbage Moth

. 247

The

Dot

. 247

The

Rustic Shoulder-knot

.

.

. 248

The

Marbled Minor .

. 248

The

Mottled Rustic

.

.

. 249

The

Turnip Moth

.

.

. 250

LIST OF ILL U STB AT IONS xiii

fig. page

15C. The Heabt and Dart ....... 251

158. The Frame Shoulder . . . . . 252

159. The Lesser Broad Border ..... 252

160. The Lesser Yellow Underwing . . . . . 258

163. The Common Quaker ...... 255

165. The Pink-barred Sallow ...... 256

167. The- Broad-barred White ...... 257

168. The Angle Shades ....... 258

169. The Grey Arches ..... . 259

171. The Bright-line Brown-eye ..... 260

174. The Burnished Brass . . . . . . . 263

176. The Red Underwing . . . . . . 266

177. The Light Emerald ....... 270

178. The August Thorn . . . . . . . 271

179. The Peppered Moth ...... 272

180. The Willow Beauty . . . . . , . 273

181. The Large Emerald ....... 274

182. The Common Emerald . . . . . . . 274

183. The Lace Border ...... 275

187. The Clouded Silver ....... 277

189. The Common Heath .... 279

190. The Bordered White — Male . . . . . . 279

191. The Currant Moth ....... 280

192. The Spring Usher . . . . . . . 281

194. The November Moth . . . . . . 282

195. The Twin-spot Carpet ...... 283

196. The Grass Rivulet . . . . . . . 283

198. The Narrow- winged Pug . . . . , . 284

199. The Brindled Pug ....... 284

200. The Small Seraphim . . . . . . . 285

201. The Blue-bordered Carpet ..... 285 xiv LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

FIQ' PAGE

202. The Beautiful Carpet . . . . . , 280

208 The Common Carpet . 280

204. The Silver Ground Carpet . . . , 287

205. The Garden Carpet ...... 287

200. The Yellow Shell . . . . . 288

207. The Small Piicenix ...... 288

208. The Small Mallow . . . . . 289

209. The Tabby or Grease Moth ..... 291

211. The Small Magpie ....... 292

212. The Mother-of-Pearl . . . . . . . 293

213. The Garden Pebble ...... 293

214. The Beautiful China Mark . . . . . . 294

218. Hexadactyla— Enlarged . . . . . . 290

219. Phragmitellus — Enlarged one-iialf .... 297

220. Hamellus — Slightly Enlarged . . . . . 297

224. Xylosteana with wings closed . . . . . 299

220. Cristana — Enlarged . . . . . . . 300

230. OCTOMACULANA — ENLARGED . . . . 301

231. Cirsiana — Enlarged ....... 302

233. Zoegana — Enlarged ...... 302

237. Nervosa — Twice Natural Size ..... 304

239. Ibipennella — Enlarged ...... 305

240. Complanella— Enlarged . . . . ■ 300

241. Aurella — Enlarged ....... 807 ffrrata age 5, line 12, for most of them read many of them „ 11, lines 12, 13, for male kind read male sex

„ 27, line 10 from bottom, for claspers read pro-legs

„ 166, „ 5, for midland and eastern read midland and south-eastern

„ 176, last two lines, read It is common in many parts of the United

Kingdom, but is not to be found everywhere.

PAET I

STRUCTURE AND LIFE-HISTORY OF THE LEPIDOPTERA

Chapter I

The word Lcpidoptera, which you see at the head of this page, is the name of the order of insects to which this volume is to be devoted. It is formed from two Greek words, one ( lepis ) signifying a scale, and the other (pteron) denoting a wing ; and was applied by the great naturalist Linnaeus to the scaly- winged insects popularly known as Butterflies and Moths.

Every one of my readers has undoubtedly handled some of the interesting creatures of this group — having been led to do so either by the extreme beauty of their clothing, or, perhaps, from a murderous intent in order to protect his own garments from the ravages of a supposed marauder. A lie been observed afterwards on victim’s wings.

Fig. 1. — Scales feom the Wings of Botteeflies.

;ht mealy powder will probably have the fingers that have touched the

Tins powder, although it sometimes presents a beautiful glossy surface when spread over the skin, does not exhibit auy definite form or structure without a more minute examination. Yet these

B are the scales that led the immortal naturalist to invent the somewhat long hut useful term Lepidoptera.

The very next time the opportunity offers itself, dust off a little of the mealy powder with a small and very soft brush on to a strip of white paper or a slip of glass, and examine it with a powerful lens or the low power of a compound microscope. What a sight you will then behold ! Each little particle of dust is a beautifully formed scale, stamped with a number of minute rounded projections, and often displaying the most gorgeous colours.

A great variety of designs and tints are often exhibited by the < Just ° from a single wing. Take, for instance, for your inspection, scales from the wing of one of our commonest insects, the Small

Tortoiseshell Butterfly (Plate III), and you will be surprised at the pleasing contrasts. But when your curiosity leads you to deal with others in the same manner, the varied display of forms and colours is simply amazing.

In order that we may learn still more of the structure of the wings of the Lepidoptera, we will examine a portion of one from which some of the scales have been removed, again bringing the lens or the microscope into our service.

We now see that the scales are arranged in rows with great regularity on a tlnn and transparent membrane, which is supported by a system of branching rays. And the membrane itself, in parts which have been laid bare, is marked with regular rows of dots-the points at wine i the scales were originally attached by means of short hollow

^The framework that supports the thin membrane we have spoken of as consisting of a system of rays , but to these the terms veins, nerves , nervures, or nervules are more commonly applied by various naturalists. We cannot do better, however, than adhere to the name originally used, for the structures m question do not perform the functions of veins, though at first they contain blood,

Eig. 2. — Portion or the Wing of a Butterfly from which some of

THE SCALES HAVE BEEN REMOVED.

GENERAL CHAR A C TEES nor are they themselves parts of the nervous systems of the insects to which they belong.

The result of our examination of the wings of butterflies anil moths has been to justify the application of the term Lepidoptera ; but we must now study other equally important and interesting features of the structure of these insects. First, let us note the general form of the body.

A cursory glance at this portion of the creature’s anatomy will show that it consists of three distinct and well-defined parts. In front there is the head, the size of which is somewhat small in proportion.

Two very large eyes make up the greater portion of its bulk. It is remarkable, too, that butterflies possess eyes proportionately much larger than those of moths.

Now, since butterflies always fly by day, and moths are, generally speaking, nocturnal insects, we might be led to suppose that the reverse of this arrangement would have suited the creatures better ; for a small eye, we should think, woidd be able to collect sufficient light in the daytime to form a bright image, and a larger lightreceiving ai*ea would be necessary during the darker hours for the same purpose.

But it is evident that the sense of vision must depend on other conditions besides the size of the eye; and as these conditions are not understood in relation to the eyes of insects, any attempt at an explanation would be quite useless.

The eye of a butterfly or moth is worthy of a closer examination, for it is a most beautiful and marvellous stractnre The outer globular transparent membrane-the cornea is divided mto a large number of minute polygonal facets, each one of which admits light into a small conical compartment surrounded by a coloured membrane, and supplied with a fibre of the

nerve of vision (the optic nerve). Hence the eye is often spoken of as compound.

If you look closely into the eyes of various butterflies and moths

B 2

Fig. 3. — Body of a Butterfly — Under Side.

1-7, segments of the abdomen ; 8, anal extremity ; a, antenna? ; &, tarsus ; c , tibia ; d, femnr ; e, palpi ; /, head ; g , thorax.

STBUCTUBE OF THE LEPIDOPTEBA you will generally see a ground colour of grey, blue, brown, or black ; but when viewed at certain angles in a strong light the most gorgeous hues of metallic brilliancy-gold, copper, and bronze — are to be observed. All such colours are due to the reflection of light from the colouring matter that lies between the numerous conical compartments.

A glance at the section of a compound eye will show you that all the little cones radiate from a common centre. And, as each little compartment is surrounded by opaque colouring matter, it is clear that perpendicular rays only are capable of penetrating to its base and exciting the nerve fibre that lies there. Thus each little division of a compound eye forms its own image of the object that happens to be exactly opposite its facet. But how many facets do we find in a single eye ? Sometimes only a few hundreds, but sometimes as many as seventeen or eighteen thousand ! We must not, however, conclude that the nature of the vision of butterflies and moths is necessarily very different from our own. We have two eyes, but the images formed by them are both blended, so that we do not see double. \\ e can understand, therefore, that the thousands of images formed in a single eye may be blended together so as to form one continuous picture. Still there remains this difference : while in our own case the two images formed by. the two eyes are practically the same, in the case of insects every one of the little conical tubes of a compound eye forms an image of an object that cannot possibly be formed by any one of the others. Thus, if the lepidopterous insect sees a continuous picture of its surroundings, such a picture is produced by the o\ ei - lapping and blending, at their edges, of hundreds or thousands of

Big. 4. — Section op the Eye op an Insect.

distinct parts.

There is yet another interesting difference between the vision of these insects and that of ourselves. As already stated, our two eyes are both turned toward the same point at the same time. But look at the butterfly’s eyes. Here are no movable eyeballs, and the two eyes, placed as they are at the sides of the head, are always turned in opposite directions. The cornea*, too, are very convex ; and consequently the range of vision is vastly wider than ours A boy is often easily surprised by a playmate who approaches him stealthily from behind, but did you ever try the same game with a butterfly ? I have, many a time. After getting cautiously so near to a butterfly at rest as to be able to distinguish between its head and its hinder extremity, I have quietly circled round it so as to approach it from behind, being at the time under the impiession that it wouldn’t see me under those circumstances. But not the slightest advantage did I derive from this stratagem, for the position and construction of its eyes enabled it to see almost all ways at once.

In addition to the two compound eyes, the Lepidoptera, or at least most of them, are provided with two small simple eyes , but these are generally so hidden among the closely set hair that covers the head, that it is doubtful whether they are of much service as organs of vision.

The antenna; proceed from two points close to the upper borders of the eyes. They are jointed organs, and are of very different forms in the various species of Lcjndoptcra. They are generally long, slender, and clubbed at the extremity in butterflies, but exhibit several minor points of difference which we shall have to note later on, In moths the antennae are sometimes long, slender, and pointed. Some are thick, and more or less prismatic in form ; while others are slightly or deeply pectinated or comb-like. The

Tig. 5. — Antenna; on Butterflies.

Fig. 6. — Antenna; of Moths.

antennas of butterflies arc always straight, or only slightly curved ; and, although the insects can sway them bodily, they have no power to bend them, or to stow them away in any place of shelter. Moths, on the other hand, when at rest, are almost invariably found to have their antennas snugly tucked under the wings, and brought so closely against the side of the head for this purpose that even the uncovered portion is often difficult to find.

There are two other prominent appendages belonging to the heads of the Lepidoptera. These are the labial palpi or feelers of the lips. They are generally easily seen, projecting forward on the under side of the head, sometimes so long and conspicuous as to give one the idea of a snout or long nose. The palpi are jointed — usually in three parts — are covered with scales, and often furnished with hairs or bristles.

If you watch a moth or butterfly when it is feeding on the sweet juices of a flower, or on some kind of artificial sweet with which you have provided it, you will observe its long trunk or proboscis, by which food is sucked up. This instrument is so long and slender that it seems almost impossible that it can be a tube through which a liquid freely passes. But a careful examination will show that this is the case. It is composed of two separate pieces — two half tubes, which, when closely applied to each other, form a very thin and flexible pipe, perfectly air-tight and adapted for suction. Sometimes you can see a butterfly or moth manipulating writh its proboscis as if it required readjustment in some way or other. It has split the tube throughout its length, so that it now looks like two exceedingly fine hairs. Then, after a short time, the two halves are put together again, and immediately, as if by magic, become a single tube in which no kind of seam is to be observed without a powerful magnifier.

In order to observe the nature of such a wonderful arrangement we must have recotu'se to the aid of a good microscope. Thus assisted, w’e can see at once how the junction of the two sides of the proboscis is brought about so quickly and so perfectly. The inner edges of each half are very regularly fringed with lines of closely set hairs — so regular, in fact, are they, that they give one the idea of long yet minute beautifully formed combs. When the two parts are brought together, the hairs ot two opposite edges interlock, those on one side exactly filling the spaces between those of the other’.

The microscope also reveals another interesting fact, viz. that the proboscis is not a single tube, but, although so remarkably thin, is really a set of three distinct pipes, one lying on each side of the central one. It is said that the central tube only is used for sucking up the liquid food, and there seems to be some doubt as to the uses of the other two. Some naturalists are of opinion that the latter are air tubes, and are connected with the respiration of the insect; while others say that through these the insects eject a thin watery fluid with which to dissolve or dilute those sweetmeats that are not sufficiently liquid to be readily sucked up. But possibly both these opinions are correct, the proboscis serving all three of the purposes here named. The only observation of my own bearing on the subject is this. While a moth was feeding on a drop of syrup in a strong light, a powerful lens revealed drops of liquid, mingled with bubbles of air, passing alternately up and down the two lateral tubes of the proboscis. At the same time the upward current of syrup in the central tube was by no means steady and continuous.

When this organ is not in use, it is beautifully coiled into a close spiral which lies between the labial palpi. The length varies considerably in different insects, and consequently the number of turns in the spiral must differ also. Sometimes there are less than two turns, while some of the longer ones form spirals of from six to ten turns.

In concluding our brief account of the head of lepidopterous insects it is, I suppose, hardly necessary to add that there is no kind of chewing apparatus to be described ; all the members of this order, at least in the perfect state, deriving the whole of the little nourishment they require entirely by suction through the proboscis or ‘ trunk.’

The second division of the body is the thorax. This is much larger than the head, and consists of three ring-like segments, joined one behind the other so intimately that the lines of junction are hardly visible, even after the thick clothing of tine hair has been brushed off. Behind the thorax is the abdomen, which is composed of several segments, the junctions between the rings often being most distinct.

From the sides of the thorax proceed the two pairs of wings, the general structure ot which we have already to a certain extent examined. But when we are a little farther advanced in our

Fig. 7.— Section of THE PllO- BOSCIS OF A

Butterfly.

insect studies, we shall have to become acquainted with detailed descriptions given as aids to the identification of species. Now, such descriptions cannot be satisfactory, either to the one who gives or to him who receives, unless expressed in such definite terms as render a misunderstanding impossible. A botanist cannot give an accurate and concise description of a flower without the use of certain names and expressions which have gradually become an almost necessary part of his vocabulary ; neither can an entomologist give a really useful, and, at the same time, a succinct description of an insect unless he is acquainted with the names of its parts. Therefore, seeing that we distinguish the various species of butterflies and moths mainly by the arrangement and colour of the markings of their wings, it is really necessary that we should know the names of the different parts of these organs. For this reason I have inserted drawings of a fore and of a hind wing of a butterfly, together with the names of the various parts of the wings, and also the names of the principal rays or nervures. Yet I would not advise any young entomologist to attempt to commit to memory all the names given. Bather use the diagram for reference when occasion requires, more particularly when you have an insect in your possession that you desire to study. In ordinary descriptions of butterflies and moths the names of the nervures are not so generally used as those of the parts of the wing. Consequently it is exceedingly useful to know what is meant by the terms base, costal margin, apex, liind margin, anal angle, inner margin, discoidal cell &c. as applied to the wing.