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Home Nature-Study Course. 



Facts for the teacher. — The brilliant copper-red color of the upper sides of 

 the wing of the monarch is made even more brilliant by the contrasting black 

 markings which outline the veins and border the wings, extending back from the 

 tips of the front wings in a triangular patch, which seems to be made especially 

 for showing off the pale orange and white dots set within it. The white dots are 

 set two pairs in two rows between each two veins in the black margin of the wings, 

 and the fringe at the edge of the wings shows corresponding white marks. Below 

 the hind wings and the front part of the front wings have a ground color of pale 

 yellow. The black veins on the hind wing are outlined with white and the white 

 spots are much larger on the lower side of the wings than on the vipper. The 

 antennas are about two-thirds as long as the body and each ends in a long knob. 

 The body is black, ornamented with a few pairs of white spots above and with 

 many large white dots below. Insects have six legs and this is one of the char- 

 acters of the order, but in this butterfly the front pair have become so small 

 through disuse that they scarcely look like legs and are folded up under the head. 

 In the monarch butterfly the male has a black spot upon one of the veins of the 

 hind wing. This is a perfume pocket and is filled with what are called scent scales ; 

 that is the scales which cover the wing in this place give forth an odor, which 

 we cannot perceive but which is very attractive to the females of the species, so 

 this butterfly may be described to the children as a dandy that carries a perfume 

 pocket to attract his sweetheart. It would be a good exercise to let the children 

 see a bit of a butterfly's wing through the three-fourths objective of a compound 

 microscope, so that they may observe the beautiful covering of scales. The mon- 

 arch is for some reason distasteful to birds ; therefore, its brilliant color is a 

 warning to them that this is a butterfly that they had best let alone. 



LESSON XIV. 



Larva of monarch butterfly. 



THE MONARCH CATERPILLAR. 



Purpose. — To familiarize the ptipil 

 with the form, color.s and habits of 

 this caterpillar. 



. Observations for pupils: 



1. What are the colors and mark- 

 ings of the caterpillar? 



2. Note the whiplash-shaped fila- 

 ments on the caterpillar and describe 

 where they are sittiated? 



3. Do these move as the caterpil- 

 lar walks or when it is disturbed? 



4. Of what tise can they be to the 

 caterpillar ? 



5. Upon what plant does the 

 caterpillar feed? 



6. Place it tipon some other plant 

 and note if it will feed upon it. 



