INTRODUCTION. 



Insects are animals with a segmented body consisting of three principal parts: the 

 head, thorax, and abdomen. There are three pairs of legs and usually a pair of antennae 

 or feelers. 



Most insects come from eggs, but there are also some -which are born alive and others 

 in which the larvae pass into the pupa-state immediately, without feeding, as in some parasitic 

 flies. Some crawl from the egg with a form like that of the parent, except that the wings, 

 and in some the legs and antennae, are wanting, whilst others appear with a worm-like shape, 

 either footless and headless (maggots), or provided with a head and feet (caterpillars), and 

 only reach maturity after passing through several metamorphoses. In the former class the 

 passage from the imperfect to the perfect state is gradual; in the latter four stages may be 

 clearly distinguished, namely: the egg, the caterpillar or larva, the chrysalis or pupa, and the 

 imago, or perfect insect. 



This is the life-history, as it takes place in Lepidoptera or Butterflies and Moths. 



The Lepidoptera form one of the seven orders of Insects, and a systematic study of 

 these animals involves a knowledge of all the stages of insect development. 



A ANATOMY OF LEPIDOPTERA. 



The bodies of butterflies and moths are compact and cj'lindrical, the head is small, and 

 the wings broad, with a regular arrangement of nervures, and covered with fine scales. 



On each side of the head is a large globular facetted eye, and between them is the 

 vertex with the front or forehead before it, which is limited by the upper border of the 

 mouth. Above this on the front is placed a smooth horny plate, the clypeus. On the vertex 

 are situated the two so-called simple eyes or ocelli, which are, however, wanting in many 

 groups. On the front between the compound eyes are the antennae, or feelers. 



The mouth-apparatus is intended for sucking up the honey from flowers or the juices 

 which are exuded from trees. The labrum, or upper lip, is small and often hidden by the 

 over-lapping clypeus. It is attached to the upper border of the mouth by a membranous 

 articulation, and projects over the mouth. On both sides of the mouth are rudimentary man- 

 dibles, the two parts of which can only be recognised in the larger species. The maxillas, or 

 lower jaws, are produced into a tubular tongue or proboscis consisting of two half cylinders, 

 which lie in apposition and together form a complete tube. This organ when not in use is 

 kept coiled up in a spiral, and can be extended at the will of the insect. The length of the 

 proboscis varies much, being very long in some species, and very short or almost absent in 

 others. At the base of the proboscis and at its outer side are placed the maxillary palpi, 

 which are generally small. The labial palpi are very variable in size and are sometimes 

 scarcely visible. They consist of three joints, the second of which is generally the longest and 

 most hairy, and the terminal ones are pointed and often very slender. 



