INTRODUCTORY. 



6. Cylindrical caterpillars (in science CYLINDRACEI), in which the caterpillars are cylindrical, 

 the head exserted, and the legs and claspers exposed. 



Examples of Cylindrical Caterpillars. 



x. Machaon 



y. Daplidioe 



z. Tlyalo 



2. CONCEALERS (in science CELANTES), or those of which the caterpillars hide 

 themselves in a silken follicle or cocoon before changing into chrysalids. These cocoons are 

 generally hidden in clefts of the bark of trees, in rolled-up leaves, or at the roots of grass ; 

 some o them are even attached to stems of grass. While the Exposers are what might be 

 culled the true or typical butterflies, the Concealers are somewhat intermediate between 

 Butterflies and Moths. In this country the Concealers are few in number, small in size, and 

 insignificant in appearance ; but in tropical and sub-tropical countries they are numerous, 

 large, and very beautiful. 



SUCH is an outline of the characters I pro- 

 pose to employ in the definitions which 

 follow. It will be perceived they embrace 

 every state of the living insect. In the year 

 1834 I made a first attempt to introduce into 

 entomology a formula of classification similar 

 to that suggested by Jus-sieu, and adopted by 

 Decandolle in the sister science of botany. 

 Up to that date it had been the uniform usage 

 of entomologists to make an " order " of 

 insects correspondent with a "class" of ver- 

 tebrate animals or of plants a usage which I 

 cannot but consider undesirable to maintain ; 

 and I therefore think it best to employ a 

 formula of nomenclature more in accordance 

 with that which obtains in other divisions of 

 organised beings, believing the less we en- 

 deavour to eliminate insects from a general 

 classification, or British insects from a general 

 system of insects, the more likely are we to 

 attain that commanding knowledge of the 



subject which is now considered so unneces- 

 saiy, but which is certainly a rational object 

 of ambition. 



Natural order. I. SPINE-BEARERS (in science 

 Spinigeri) , 



The distinguishing character, and that to 

 which I know no exception, is the spine- 

 bearing caterpillar. The chrysalis is more 

 angled than in any other group, and is always 

 suspended by the tail a character, however, 

 common to this and the following order. The 

 perfect insecl has the fore feet imperfect, 

 totally unfitted for walking, and always with- 

 out claws ; but then again this character is 

 not distinctive, since it applies equally to the 

 next order. The British spine-bearers aro 

 divided into four families. 



Family 1. SILVER-SPOTTED FRITILIARIES (in science 

 Argynnidoe). 



The Caterpillars are almost uniformly cylin- 

 drical and almost uniformly spiny : they 



