500 [December 



be emphatically called the natural system of classification, in which the 

 natural history of the whole insect is considered, from the ovum to the 

 imago, in contradistinction to the artificial, which considers only the 

 characters of the perfect insect. 



I kive here followed the latter, not because I think it is most correct, 

 but simply because, like all artificial systems, it is much the most con- 

 venient for reference, and for the more important reason that I was 

 totally unac((uainted with the metamorphoses of these exotic butterflies, 

 which play such a prominent part in the formation of the natural sys- 

 tem, but was entirely dependent upon the statements and figures of 

 others, which, however correct, can never be so fully relied upon as 

 persona] observation. 



Without proceeding too extensively into the elaboration of Dr. Hori*- 

 field's views, who distributes the butterflies with especial reference to 

 the characters of the insect in all its stages, we find that the following 

 points form the basis of his system : 



" First. That the series of afiinities in groups of the Animal Kingdom 

 is progressive, and that it returns into itself 3 and thus the groups form 



circles." 



" Secondly. That the primary groups of those departments of the Ani- 

 mal Kingdom, which have hitherto been investigated, have been as- 

 certained to be limited to five." 



■• Thirdly. That each group in a circle is analogically represented by 

 the corresponding group in the other circles." 



These are the essential considerations; he also enumerates several 

 others, but which are subordinate to these. 



According to the second law, '-the whole Animal Kingdom has been 

 divided into quinary groups, which are again subdivided into groups of 

 consecutively descending value ; thus the Animal Kingdom is divided 

 in descending order into Sub-Kingdom, Class, Order, Tribe and Stirps." 



With reference to Tribe I, FaptVones, of the Order Lepidoptera — 

 the one with which we are immediately connected — upon the axiom, 

 • that in groups of consecutive minor value, the same principles are 

 found to prevail," he has divided it into five stirpes, each supposed to 

 be connected with the two adjoining, and the terminal to be, in like 

 manner, allied to the first, so as to form a circle. These have been 



