INTRODUCTION. 



(FROM THE GERMAN OF V. HEINEMANN ' ) 



BUTTERFLIES are insects having six feet and membranous wings 

 covered with minute scales. They undergo a perfect transforma- 

 tion ; the caterpillar or larva, furnished with ten to eighteen feet, is 

 hatched from the egg, and after various moulting, is changed into 

 the pupa, from which after a longer or shorter period, the perfect 

 butterfly comes forth. It performs its destined office, the female 

 deposits her eggs and dies. 



The butterfly consists of the body and members ; the former is 



Fig. 1. 



composed of head, thorax, and abdomen ; the members are the 

 feet and wings. 



1 Die Schmetterlinge Deutsclilands und der Schweiz. Systematise!! 

 bearbeitet von H. v. Heinemann. Braunschweig. 1859. F. Vieweg und 

 Sohn. 



