LEPIDOPTERA. Ill 



rate obsen^ation of the structure and metamorphosis 

 of a few forms will lead scholars, it is to be hoped, to 

 make really interesting collections illustrating not only 

 the full-grown moths and butterflies in their vicinity, 

 but also all their larval and pupal stages of growth. 

 These difl"erent stages of development cannot fail to 

 impress most profoundly the maturer mind of the 

 teacher ; for " it is the growth rather than the perfec- 

 tion of any organism which is of supreme interest," 

 and the study of the life-histories of Lepidoptera will 

 lead teachers and pupils to a more intimate knowl- 

 edge of the habits of these insects, and to the acquisi- 

 tion of habits of observation in the field and at home, 

 which cannot fail to give them mental occupation and 

 discipline of great value to their future progress. 



A few words must be added in regard to the syste- 

 matic position of the Lepidoptera. The great diffi- 

 culty in placing this and the following orders consists 

 in the fact that the secondary larval stages have com- 

 plete possession of the younger periods, and no form 

 is known which has a Thysanuriform or primitive 

 larva. The caterpillar, the secondary larval form, is 

 peculiar to the order, and its general prevalence and 

 the constancy of its characteristics are strong evi- 

 dences that it is now fixed in the organization and 

 hereditary. 



The obvious affinities of the Trichoptera and Me- 

 coptera enable one to bring the Lepidoptera into close 

 proximity with these two orders, and in the absence 

 of other positive evidence to provisionally consider 

 the three as having had a common origin. 



Scudder in his little book on Buitej-flies^ and again 



