GENERAL FEATURES 35 



upon the diurnal butterflies which are seen, although they are not 

 the chief offenders. But when the army worm appears, and 

 prevails, they both appear to forget their proper habits in the 

 mad rush for a fresh green leaf. 



§ 35. Getting Butterfly Eggs for Breeding. 



It is generally understood that to get eggs from the female but- 

 terfly, the insect must be confined in a gauze bag along with the 

 proper larval food-plant, and that if all things are favorable, she 

 will lay her eggs, one by one, as they mature, upon the leaves of 

 the plant. This is generally true ; but the matter can be greatly 

 simplified, as nearly half of the species do not require that the 

 larval food-plant be present at all. Females of the following 

 named genera will lay their eggs upon anything, even on the net 

 itself, if other matters, as proper shade, warmth, air, and quiet, 

 are agreeable to her: Parnassius, Argynnis, Euptoicta, Neo- 

 nymplia, all the genera of the family Satyridcr, and in part, 

 some other genera. All the rest require their own peculiar larval 

 food-plant to be present, and the females will die rather than ovi- 

 posit without it. And it is necessary that the plant should be 

 fresh and bright, as the butterfly will not oviposit on a plant that 

 is at all wilted. 



When out in the open fields the best way is to tie the gauze bag 

 upon a twig of the living plant, and then put the female in it, and 

 tie it up tight, and leave it in quiet ; a little shade will be neces- 

 sary if the sunshine is bright. Guard against ants, for they will 

 gladly kill and eat the butterfly : look out also for birds, and for 

 boys. A small bag is better than a very large one. All butter- 

 fly eggs are a little sticky at first, and will adhere to any object 

 upon which they may be placed by the female butterfly ; but it is 

 best to have the bag of a fine mesh, so that the eggs cannot fall 

 through and be lost, if dislodged. 



You can carry the mature butterfly a long distance, if she is 

 put into a can, as a baking powder can, and shut up in the dark- 

 ness. I once carried a female Leto 800 miles, in five and a half 

 days, and after that heart-breaking journey she gave me a fine lot 

 of fertile eggs. Another plan, and a good one, is to take the but- 

 terfly home in the tin can, and take a glass fruit jar of one or two 

 quarts capacity, and put in the jar some fresh twigs of the proper 

 plant, and then put the butterfly in, and close it up tight; the seal- 



