The Classification of Butterflies 
applied to them by different writers, but all such names rank as 
synonyms according to the law of priority. 
Popular Names. — Common English names for butterflies are 
much in vogue in England and Scotland, and there is no reason 
why English names should not be given to butterflies, as well as 
to birds and to plants. In the following pages this has been done 
to a great extent. I have used the names coined by Dr. S. H. 
Scudder and by others, so far as possible, and have in other cases 
been forced myself to coin names which seemed to be appropri¬ 
ate, in the hope that they may come ultimately to be widely 
used. The trouble is that ordinary people do not take pains to 
observe and note the distinctions which exist among the lower 
animals. The vocabulary of the common farmer, or even of the 
ordinary professional man, is bare of terms to point out correctly 
the different things which come under the eye. All insects are 
“ bugs ” to the vulgar, and even the airy butterfly, creature of grace 
and light, is put into the same category with roaches and fleas. 
Apropos of the tendency to classify as “ bugs ” all things which 
creep and are small, it may be worth while to recall the story, 
which Frank Buckland tells in his “ Log-book of a Fisherman and 
Naturalist,” of an adventure which he had, when a school-boy, at 
the booking-office of the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway 
Company in Dover. He had been for a short trip to Paris, and 
had bought a monkey and a tortoise. Upon his return from 
sunny France, as he was getting his ticket up to London, Jocko 
stuck his head out of the bag in which his owner was carrying 
him. The ticket-agent looked down and said, “You will pay 
half-fare for him.” “ How is that? ” exclaimed young Buckland. 
“ Well, we charge half-fare for dogs.” “ But this is not a dog,” 
replied the indignant lad; “this is a monkey.” “Makes no dif¬ 
ference,” was the answer; “you must pay half-fare for him.” 
Reluctantly the silver was laid upon the counter. Then, thrust¬ 
ing his hands into the pocket of his greatcoat, Buckland drew 
forth the tortoise, and, laying it down, asked, “ How much do 
you charge for this? ” The ancient receiver of fares furbished 
his spectacles, adjusted them to his nose, took a long look, and 
replied, “We don’t charge nothin’ for them; them ’s insects.” 
It is to be hoped that the reader of this book will in the end have 
a clearer view of facts as to the classification of animals than was 
possessed by the ticket-agent at Dover. 
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