<II\I»TrK XXI. 



OllDKll XI I.KIM DorTKUA (LiNN-Eus). 



GLOSSATA ( PAimirii-ii). 



The insiH-ts tliat flit l»efore us in oiir ilujly wiill(!<,an(l are known un<ler the common name 

 of butlirflifs, art" ri-pr«»s«'ntativ«-S(>f ihis <>r<JiT, to wlii«li als<» beli>ni( thf numerous uinged 

 visitants uroiiiul «iur Innip-iluriiip tlw suiiiiiuT ivniiims. T1i<>m' wliirh arc <>l.Mnt«i fljing 

 in tijr (iaytiiiir, nover «'iit<T <>iir windows liy niglit ; ami ntitlicr an- tiic moths, so common 

 at ninht, ov«r stH'n sporting liy day, or flying abroati l>y tlie liniit of iJic sun. 



Our first inijulry Is, In what rcsptxt do the insects of this order differ from those already 

 descril)ed ? They have fi>ur memiiranons wingri, clothed with minute scales : their InKlies 

 are soft and coveretl with hair, and their mi>uth consists of a tuhuiar filamentous organ 

 designetl for sucking the jiiircs of fluwrrs, anti which, when not in use, is rolled into a 

 comjiact coil; antl, lastly, their metamorj-hosis is comj.lete. We cannot fail to see how 

 wiilely they difler from the Colixhtkra or Ortiioiti.ha ; although could all the sjxciesof 

 the different orders Ik* spread out Ix'fore us at once, we should fintl that they ore all con- 

 nected l>y intermediate links. 



Tlie lepidoptcra exist in three states : the caterpillar, (he pupa, &nil the ima^o or perfect 

 state, in the last of which the insect pn>ivigates its kind. In the first or cateq>illar state it 

 grows, or iiicrea-ses in size ; and it is during this state that it is ni-ct-ssitatetl to chance or 

 cast off its outer integiuuent, in order that this prt»cess may Ix- jK-rfectetl. It changes its 

 skin four times, and it freijuently hap|x-ns also that its colors and markings undergo a 

 succession of changi-s. F.arh insect is invarialdy furnished with sixt«>en feel. The mandibles 

 and maxilliT do not <liffer materially fmm tho«e of the insects of other orders. The true 

 legs are borne by the first three segments of the Nnly : the other legs are called false, or 

 sometimes prop-legi. 



As it ii in thLs state that the insect grows, it U-comes neces^a^y that it should take a 

 large ijuantity of fooil, which it mostly derives from the vecetaide kingdom, fetnliug upon 

 r">ts and leaves, and sometimes uir>u wirhI. Wheu the larva has ucijuired it* pro|K.'r sire, 

 it ceases to eat, and proceeds to form for itself some kind of case, im|H-r\-ious to water, and 



