71 



arranged in three pairs, but if you will look at the mourning cloak you 

 will see that the front pair are not used for walking and are mere brush- 

 like organs, so that the family to which it belongs may be termed, "the 

 four footed butterflies." In the others we have mentioned all three pairs 

 are equally well developed. 



At the end of May also we will find around the Columbine blossoms 

 many active little black butterflies known as "dusky skippers". These 

 belong to another family, most of whose members come out a little later on 

 in the season ; they are reddish orange in colour and are collectively known 

 as "skippers". They can be recognized by the manner in which the wings 

 are held when at rest, the upper pair being raised at an angle of 45 de- 

 grees while the lower pair are stretched out nearly horizontally. 



Still another family comprises the delicate blue butterflies of the 

 early spring and midsummer, and the equally beautiful copper butter- 

 flies. 



Out of many books dealing with classification we may recommend 

 Comstock's "Manual for the Study of Insects," (Ithaca, N.Y., 1895); 

 and Packard's, "Guide to the Study of Insects," (H. Holt, N.Y., 1883); 

 but there is so little stability or uniformity in the matter of classification 

 in some orders, that the beginner would do well to commence by becoming 

 familiar with the individual species and their habits, and will quickly learn 

 which of the other sorts met with are closely related to those already 

 known, and need in no wise bother his head about hair-splitting distinc- 

 tions between one genus and another in order to enjoy the wonders of 

 Nature as shown in some of her most wondrous creatures. Many of the 

 divisions are not only entirely artificial, but are absolutely unrecognized 

 by Nature, and such being the case, I repeat, consult and study the 

 Book of Nature and pin your faith to what you can see for yourself 

 rather than to what you can read on the printed pages of any books 

 made by man. 



