182 BUTTERFLIES 



The Antiopa caterpillars are such spiny creatures that 

 comparatively few birds attack them. They are de- 

 voured, however, by the two species of cuckoos — the 

 yellow-billed and black-billed — and it is probable that 

 they are sometimes killed by Baltimore orioles and various 

 other birds. They are also greedily devoured by toads, 

 but of course they do not often come within the reach of 

 these useful animals. 



Even the adult butterflies of this species have to be on 

 the lookout for enemies. During the long months of their 

 life many of them probably succumb to the attacks of 

 birds or other creatures. I have seen but one such 

 tragedy. While riding along a country highway with a 

 bird-loving friend one spring day we saw a male Maryland 

 yellow-throat flit by with a Mourning-cloak in his mouth. 

 The bird lit on a fence, from which I startled him so that 

 he dropped the butterfly, a worn and faded, half-dead 

 specimen. The places where the bird held the insect were 

 indicated by missing pieces of the wings. 



The American Tortoise-shell 



Aglais milherti 



This beautiful butterfly is one of the most distinctive 

 of all our species. It is of moderate size, its wings rarely 

 expanding more than two inches, and it has sufficiently 

 irregular outlines to indicate its relationship with the Angle- 

 wings. The most striking feature of the upper surface 

 is the broad band of orange-brown extending clear across 

 both wings a little inside the border. The remaining sur- 

 face is a darker brown marked with two orange-brown 



