BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 



CHAPTEE I 



INTRODUCTION. 



WHAT IS A BUTTERFLY — BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS — BUTTERFLY 

 LIFE — THE EGG STAGE — SCULPTURED CRADLES — BUTTERFLY 

 BOTANY — THE CATERPILLAR STAGE — FEEDING UP — COAT CHANG- 

 ING FORMS OF CATERPILLARS — THE CHRYSALIS — MEANING Ol 



PUPA, CHRYSALIS, AND AURELIA — FORMS OF CHRYSALIDES — 

 DIFFICULTIES OF TRANSFORMATION — INFLUENCE OF TEMPERA- 

 TURE. 



Occasionally a missive arrives from some benevolent 

 friend, announcing the capture of a "splendid butterfly," 

 which, imprisoned under a tumbler, awaits one's accept- 

 ance as an addition to the cabinet. However, on going 

 to claim the proffered prize, the expected "butterfly"" 

 turns out to be some bright-coloured moth (a Tiger moth 

 being the favourite victim of the misnomer), and one's 

 entomological propriety suffers a shock ; not so much 

 feeling the loss of the specimen, as concern for the 

 benighted state of an otherwise intelligent friend's 

 mind with regard to insect nomenclature. 



