LEPIDOPTERA. G05 



pillars or Chrysalides pass the winter, and the insect only undergoes its change in the spring 

 or summer of the following year. In general the eggs deposited in the autumn are not 

 hatched till the next spring. They escape from the chrysalis in the ordinary manner, or hy a 

 slit down the back of the thorax. 



The larvae of Iclmeumonidae and Chalcididae rid us of a great number of these destructive 

 insects. 



[The arrangement of this order cannot be considered as arrived at an equal degree of per- 

 fection with that of the Coleoptera, or some other orders. Dr. llorsfield, in his Lepidoptera 

 Javanica, has attempted a more natural classification, founded especially upon the transforma- 

 tions of these insects, but his work is incomplete ; as is also the case with BoisduvaPs Histoire 

 naturelle des Insectes Lepidopteres. The British species have been described in detail by 

 Mr. Stephens, in whose work, as well as in that of Curtis, great numbers of new genera are 

 introduced; there still, however, requires a more minute investigation of the generic characters 

 of these insects, and especially of the exotic species, than has yet been given to them ; authors 

 having generally contented themselves with describing or figuring the beautiful marking of 

 the wings, without attending to the real generic or structural peculiarities.] 



We divide this order into three families, which correspond with the three genera of which 

 the order is composed in the Linnaean system. 



THE FIRST FAMILY OF THE LEPIDOPTERA,— 



The Diurna [or Butterflies], — 



Is the only one in which the outer edge of the hind-wings is not furnished with a scaly and stifF bristle 

 like a bridle, to retain the two fore-wings, which, as well as the others, generally, are elevated perpen- 

 dicularly in repose ; the antennae are terminated either by a knob, or are nearly of the same thickness, 

 or even more slender, and terminated in a bent hook at the tip. This family corresponds with the 



genus 



Papilio, Linnaeus. 



The caterpillars have always sixteen feet. The chrysalides are nearly always naked, attached by 

 the tail, and mostly angular. The perfect insect, always furnished with a proboscis, only flics by day, 

 and the colours of the under side of the wings are equal in beauty to those of the upper. 



We divide them into two sections. 



The first have only a single pair of spurs to the tibiae, placed at the tips ; the fore-wings arc elevated 

 perpendicularly in repose ; the antennae are mostly clubbed at the tip, which is truncated, or 

 rounded, or are sometimes nearly filiform. This very numerous section may be further divided as 

 follows. 



1. Those with the third joint of the palpi either obsolete, or if present, clothed with scales as 

 thickly as the preceding joint, and the tarsal claws very distinct. Their caterpillars are elongate, 

 subcylindric ; the chrysalides are almost always regular, sometimes smooth, hut inclosed in a rough 

 cocoon; some of these (Ilexapoda) have all the legs fit for walking, and Dearly alike in both sexes: 

 the pupa is not only attached by the tail, but by a thread round the middle of the body ; the central 

 cell of the hind wings is closed externally. 



The four follow ing genera hai e the inner edge of the hind w inL r s concave or folded. 



Papilio proper, or the Equites of Linnaeus, have the lower palpi verj ihoi t, scarce!] reaching the clypens, n ith 

 the third joint scarcely distinct. Their caterpillars, when alarmed] throw out a forked hor- from the ue< s. which 

 emits a disagreeable scent. 



These Butterflies are remarkable for their size and the variety of their colours. They are generally found in the 

 equatorial regions of l>oth worlds ; many have the hind wings prolonged into ■ tail, as in our Papilio M aekaan, 

 or the Swallow-tail Butterfly. 



Zelima, Fabr., differs from Papilio only in having the club of the antenna' shorter and rounder. [Two exotic 

 species.] 



Parnattitu, Latr. (Dorltit, Fabr.), have the palpi elevated above the clypens, and pointed, with three distinct 



joints; the caterpillars have a retractile tentacle in the neck, but the] forma kind of D with leaves. /'. 



Apollo, [a reputed British species], winch, with the others, is only found 111 mountai is districts. 



Thais, Fab., has palpi like Parnassius, but the club of the antenna ii elongated and curved ; the caterpillars 

 are apparently destitute of the retractile tubercle i it the neck. The species are found in the SoutA Of Bun 



