TIIK CYCLE OF LIFK 23 



while not in use, this tube is tightly mi led up in front of 

 the head. The length of this sucking-tube in the black 

 swallowtail is about three-quarters of an inch. With 

 insect in hand, a careful examination of its parts will 

 no doubt, reveal the position and extension of this butter- 

 fly's mouth. As you might-suppose, then, the swallow- 

 tail is a frequent visitor to the blossoms of flowers. 

 It is fond of the nectar secreted by the thistle and 

 apple, and has been known to visit the verbena blossoms 

 to such an extent that flowers could not be obtained, 

 since the butterflies in withdrawing their tongues pulled 

 the flowers all to pieces. 



They are low flyers, and when not disturbed wend 

 their way back and forth about the meadows and pas- 

 tures. If alarmed, however, they greatly increase their 

 speed, darting here and there in a zigzag course. Self- 

 preservation is no less manifest in this delicate form 

 than in those animals of greater size and longer dura- 

 tion of life. 



