The Classification of Butterflies 
said upon this subject in the n'rst chapter of this book. By re¬ 
ferring again to the classification which has been given, it will be 
noted that the last four orders in the list agree in that the crea¬ 
tures included within them undergo for the most part what is 
known as a complete metamorphosis; that is to say, they pass 
through four successive stages of development, existing first as 
eggs, then as worm-like larvae, or caterpillars, then as pupae, and 
finally as perfect, fully developed insects, gifted for the most part 
with the power of flight, and capable of reproducing their kind. 
All of this has been to some extent already elucidated in the first 
chapter of the present volume, but it may be well to remind the 
reader of these facts at this point. 
A question which is frequently asked by those who are not 
familiar with the subject relates to the manner in which it is 
possible to distinguish between moths and butterflies. A partial 
answer can be made in the light of the habits of the two classes 
of lepidoptera. Butterflies are diurnal in their habits, flying be¬ 
tween sunrise and dusk, and very rarely taking the wing at night. 
This habit is so universal that these insects are frequently called 
by entomologists “ the diurnal lepidoptera,” or are simply spoken 
of as “ diurnals.” It is, however, true that many species of moths 
are also diurnal in their habits, though the great majority of them 
are nocturnal, or crepuscular, that is, flying at the dusk of the 
evening, or in the twilight of the early morning. Upon the basis 
of mere habit, then, we are able only to obtain a partial clue to the 
distinction between the two suborders. A more definite distinc¬ 
tion is based upon struc¬ 
ture, and specifically upon 
the structure of the an¬ 
tennae. Butterflies have 
long, thread-like antennae, 
provided with a swelling 
at the extremity, giving 
them a somewhat club- 
shaped appearance (Fig. 
76). This form of an¬ 
tennae is very unusual among the moths, and only occurs in a few 
rare genera, found in tropical countries, which seem to represent 
connecting-links between the butterflies and the moths. All the 
true moths which are found within the limits of the United 
61 
