8 THE COMMONER BUTTERFLIES. 



more or less free. All of the appendages, however, ai'e not 

 seen, for the paljii and hind legs are entirely concealed 

 beneath the other members, and the organs that appear are 

 ranged in the following order from the middle line ont- 

 ward : tongue, fore legs, middle legs, antennae, fore wings, 

 hind wings, of the latter of which very little is seen, they 

 being mostly covered by the fore pair. 



The body is compact, but there are usually some marked 

 prominences upon the surface, notably in certain places, 

 such as the front of the head, which usually has a pair of 

 projections, sometimes only one; the middle of the back of 

 the mesothorax, often ridged or with a pointed projection; 

 the extreme base of each of the wings, which are usually 

 tuberculate or humped ; and the middle line of the back of 

 the abdomen or the sides of the same, which are often 

 ridged. In the highest family, where the caterpillars are 

 spined, there are. often rows of conical tubercles on the 

 chrysalis corresponding generally to the position of the 

 larger spines of the caterpillar. 



This is all that need be said regarding the actual struc- 

 ture of butterllies in their different stages to one beginning 

 their study, for it is better to dwell rather upon their livco 

 and protean changes, their histories and habits, if we wisli 

 to gain a true and favorable insight into their character- 

 istics. 



G. A Few Words about the Eggs. 



The eggs of butterflies are always laid in full view, ex- 

 cepting that in a few instances they are partially concealed 

 by being thrust into crevices. Ordinarily they are laid 

 on one or the other surface of the leaves of the food-23lant 

 of the caterpillar or on the stem of the same, and usually 

 on or in contiguity to the tenderer growing leaves. As a 



