90 ENTOMOOLGICAL NEWS. [May, 



being thread-like, with a little swelling or knob on the end, and 

 in the moths a great variety of shapes other than this. In the 

 Heterocera, or moths, they are filiform (thread-like), setiform 

 (like a bristle), fusiform (tapering at each end), serrate (saw-like), 

 pectinate (comb-like), filiciform (fern-like) and plumose (feather- 

 like). There was formerly used another division of the moths 

 called Crepuscular (from creper dark, dusky), or those that fly 

 at dusk and in the early morning. The butterflies are further 

 distinguished from the moths by their relatively smaller bodies in 

 comparison to expanse of wings, less hairy character of thorax 

 and abdomen, and when in repose they carry the wings erect ; the 

 chrysalids are naked and not buried in the earth, and the spiral 

 tongue or haustellum, is long and well developed. Rhopalocera 

 (butterflies, diurnals) are found all over the world from the frozen 

 shores of the Arctic Ocean to the hot plains of Equatoria. They 

 are always more abundant in the vicinity of water, and are always 

 a welcome sight to the thirsty traveller. 



Linnaeus included all butterflies in the genus Papilio. He was 

 acquainted with about 760 species of moths and butterflies; they 

 are now divided into well-defined families and numerous genera 

 and species. 



The food of butterflies consists principally of the sweet liquids 

 drawn from flowers, which they reach by means of their long 

 tongues. 



The name butterfly suggests balmy Summer days, bright sun- 

 shine and green foliage. " On the side of a mountain as the sun 

 was setting, throwing different portions into the shadow from the 

 base to the top, the writer has seen the butterflies fly from cluster 

 to cluster of flowers up the acclivity, going just fast enough to 

 keep in the sunshine."* While this is true of butterflies as a 

 whole, there are numerous exceptions. Some of the Satyridae 

 only fly in the densest woods, and others only at dawn and dusk 

 of evening. "In Continental India, at Sangor, Capt. de la 

 Chaumette describes Melanitis leda and an allied species as flying 

 at sunset under the Neem trees, resting for a long time motionless 

 on the ground and will not move until you almost tread upon 

 them." 



The species belonging to the MORPHINA have similar habits. 

 Some of the Indian species remain motionless in repose all day, 



* Prof. G. H. French, in " Butterflies of Eastern United States." 



