68 



crimson wings, bordered with yellow, near the inner edge of which is a 

 row of blue round or triangular spots, and a dark, almost black under- 

 side, is often seen flying about settling here and there on a warm fence 

 or stone with wings spread out to enjoy any heat there may be. If there 

 are any maple trees in the neighbourhood these butterflies are sure to be 

 seen drinking the running sap, and may often be picked off the trees be- 

 tween the thumb and first finger. 



We take one home and know it is a butterfly by the knobs at the 

 tips of the antennae. In the moths these organs are without knobs, being 

 either feathered or thread-like. We pick up the "Butterfly Book" and 

 have not far to look for our friend for he is figured on the frontispiece 

 fig. 6, Vanessa antiopa, the mourning cloak butterfly. We have made 

 its acquaintance, we know its name, we now wish to know it better, so 

 we turn to the index and are referred to page 169 which tells us the num- 

 ber of the plate on which the caterpillar and the chrysalis are pictured, 

 and that the food plants of the caterpillar are willows, elm and poplars. 

 Owing to the limitations of space. Dr. Holland's two books are very de- 

 ficent in the matter of information in the text, so for further particulars 

 we must look elsewhere. 



Harris' Treatise on Insects Injurious to Vegetation is the book I would 

 next refer to and, although now somewhat of a classic, up to the time of 

 Holland's books, was one that was always considered as the most useful 

 all round work to have at hand, and it will never lose its importance in 

 the literature of the subject. Originally published in 1841, it was repub- 

 lished in 1842 and 1852. It was then revised and enlarged by E. L. Flint, 

 in 1862, and a later edition appeared in 1890, New York, Orange Judd 

 Co., publishers. I think the price is about $2.50. It contains eight plates 

 and 275 text figures. On pages 296-298 we read that the mourning cloak 

 butterflies pass the long winters in a torpid state in barns, hollow trees, 

 and crevices of walls, coming out of their hiding places very early in 

 spring. A description is given of the black spring caterpillar which lives 

 in colonies on the willows. These caterpillars turn in due course to chrysa- 

 lids which produce the beautiful fresh butterflies about the beginning of 

 July. These in turn lay their eggs which hatch into caterpillars, eat for 

 a while, enter the chrysalis state and produce butterflies throughout the 

 fall. The cold weather makes them seek winter quarters and one sea- 

 son's history of their lives is complete, two broods in a year. 



Another useful book is French's "Butterflies of the Eastern United 

 States" published by Lippincott. Philadelphia, in 1866 at $2.00. This 

 contains over 400 pages with 93 text figures. Pages 193-5 deal with our 



