APPENDIX. 



INSTRUCTIONS FOR COLLECTING, REARING, 

 PRESERVING, AND STUDYING. 



(From the author's " Butterflies, their Structure," etc. ; with slight clianges.) 



Happily the time is past Avhen butterfly-collectors de- 

 vote their entire attention to the perfect insect. They at 

 least rear them from the caterpillar or chrysalis to obtain 

 fresher and more beautiful specimens for their cabinets ; 

 and it is to be hoped that any young enthusiasts who may 

 use this book will be quite as ready to collect, preserve, and 

 study the earlier stages as the full-grown insect. It 

 therefore needs no apology from me in giving here more 

 space to instructions concerning the pursuit of the imma- 

 ture than of the mature form. 



The best method of raising butterflies is to obtain eggs 

 from the parent and rear them to maturity. This is by 

 no means difiicult and is full of interest ; it is only neces- 

 sary to know the food -plant of the caterpillar — and that 

 of nearly all our northern species is ascertained; or if it 

 is not known, it may often be inferred from that of neigh- 

 boring species, or discovered by patiently following the 

 female as she flits from leaf to leaf, and noticing the 

 plants she chooses Avhereon to lay her eggs. The butterfly 

 generally selects the middle of the day for this duty, but 



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