140 ENTOMOLOGY. 



butterfly and watch its transformations from the caterpillar 

 to the winged state. 



"We will select for study one of our largest and most com- 

 mon butterflies, the yellow and black swallow-tail (Papilie 

 Turnus) (Fig. 167). It may be found flying about lilacs, 

 etc., from the first of June until midsummer. 



We shall see in this, as in most butterflies, how large the 

 wings are in proportion to the body, and that they are so 

 thickly covered with microscopic scales as to be opaque, 

 while the body is also covered with fine slender scales like 

 hairs. We shall see, also, that the form of the body is more 

 or less spindle-shaped, well adapted for flying rapidly 

 through the air. The head is small, not wider than the 

 mid body, while the hind body is narrower than the mid 

 body and tapers to a rounded point. 



Now, looking at the head, which in front and above is 

 thickly covered with hairs, we notice the 

 large compound eyes, and that from between 

 them arise the antennae. These are very 

 slender, and end in a knob. There is in many 

 butterflies a naked space on the under side 

 of the knob, in which are minute pits, which 

 are probably organs of smell. There is but 

 a single pair of mouth-feelers (palpi) in the 

 butterflies, though two pairs exist in many 

 moths. These are the palpi of the under lip, 

 Fig. 168. — side ^ v li icla are held up in front of the face. Be- 



view of head or _ A 



a butterfly i En- tween them is the tongue, which is a long 

 showing anten- slender black tube, which at rest is coiled up 



na and tongue. , , . . , „ , T » 



like a watch-spring between the feelers. It 

 one will watch a butterfly at a flower, it maybe seen unroll- 

 ing its tongue in order to probe the bottom of the corolla. 



The tongue is the only means by which the butterfly can 

 obtain food. It sips or sucks up the nectar of flowers, or 

 drinks water, imbibing it through this tube. The jaws are 

 absent, except in the Tineids, where they are, however, 



