PREFACE 



In this little book an attempt has been made to discuss 

 the more abundant and widely distributed butterflies of 

 eastern North America from the point of view of their 

 life histories and their relations to their surroundings. In 

 so doing I have of course availed myself of the written 

 records of a host of students of butterflies, without whose 

 labors no such volume would be possible. Among these 

 two names stand out preeminent — William H. Edwards 

 and Samuel H. Scudder. Each was the author of a 

 sumptuous work on American butterflies to which all later 

 students must refer, both for information and for inspira- 

 tion. Many others, however, have made notable contri- 

 butions to our literature of these ethereal creatures . Every 

 seeker after a knowledge of butterflies will soon find 

 himself indebted to the writings of such investigators 

 as the Comstocks, Denton, Dickerson, Dyar, Fernald, 

 Fiske, Fletcher, French, Hancock, Holland, Howard, 

 Longstaff, Newcomb, Riley, Skinner, Wright, and many 

 others. I am glad to express my obligations to all of these 

 for the assistance their records have given in the prepara- 

 tion of this book. 



While a vast amount of knowledge of butterflies has 

 already been discovered there is still more to be learned 

 concerning them, and throughout these pages I have 

 attempted to indicate the more important opportunities 

 awaiting investigation. The day of the field naturalist has 



