24 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XIX 



various butterfly caterpillars {vide PI. I, figs. 7, 8, 13 :PI. II, figs. 25 

 and 27) but are rarer in those of moths. All butterfly caterpillars 

 invariably show the same number of fully functional false legs, the five 

 pairs ; those of moths may have one, two, three or four pairs wanting 

 according to the division they belong to ; or even be without any ; or 

 may have one or two pairs reduced in size and only partially function- 

 al ; in the moths, also, the feet or extremity of the false legs or 

 pseudo legs is very often triangularly dilated at the end and the anal 

 claspers are held stretched out behind, and have the basal fleshy 

 part often broad and flattened ; the head too is often covered slier htlv 

 by the margin of the 2nd segment, i.e. there is no distinct 

 neck characteristic of the great majority of them {vide PL I and II). 



From all this it would seem that the larvae of the two sections 

 are not easily distinguishable but, as a matter of fact, in practice, it is 

 not difficult to separate them with absolute certainty once a little 

 experience is gained. 



All butterfly caterpillars are vegetable feeders with one or two 

 exceptions among the Lyccenidce where a few species batten upon 

 CoccidcB or scale-insects. Most larvas confine themselves to one par- 

 ticular food-plant, refusing all others: some will eat nearly allied 

 species also, others again have apparently a wide range of taste and 

 aff'ected many diff'erent kinds. Certain species are addicted to canni- 

 balism and will, especially in default of sufficient vegetable food, not 

 hesitate to make a meal of a brother or sister that may be conve- 

 niently handy at the time, i.e. that may be unable to move for such 

 reasons as being in the quiescent state preceding a moult or change 

 to pupa, or that may be in the fresh skin of the succeeding chrysalis. 

 This is particularly the case with many Lyccenidm and some of the 

 Danaince and Pieridce. Cannibalism is supposed generally not to 

 agree with the larvae practising it, but this theory can be relegated 

 to the same boat with that which ascribes a hairless skin and creneral 

 debility to man-eating tigers and panthers. 



The butterfly egg may be longly oval, spherical, domeshaped 

 or turban-shaped according to the family, and the surface is often 

 very beautifully sculptured. The number laid by any one insect 

 varies greatly according to species, some laying many, others few. 

 The mother-butterfly is very particular as to where it lays and will 

 examine many shoots, flowers, twigs or whatever it is, very carefully, 



