102 



BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 



Birchadl says it is common everywhere in 

 Ireland, and he also records it as an inhabi- 

 tant of the Isle of Man. Dr. Buchanan White 

 says it is a very common species in Scotland 



in open places, in woods, and on the moors. 

 Its range extends far up the hill sides. Scotch 

 specimens are larger and darker than English 



ones. 



BUTTERFLIES WHICH HAVE GIRTED CHRYSALIDS (IN SCIENCE SVCCINCTI) 



I HAVE now arrived at the second division 

 of those butterflies which I have called 

 "Exposers," from the fact of their chry- 

 salids being exposed to the full influence of 

 weather and light, as explained at page 18. 

 The first subdivision of the Exposers is called 

 SUSPENDED, because the chrysalis is suspended 

 with the head downwards ; this second sub- 

 division is called GIRTED, because the body is 

 supported by a silken girth or belt. This belt 

 is sometimes, but not always, perfectly free, 

 so that it could be moved backwards and 

 forwards on the surface of the back. In 

 several species it is fixed firmly in its place 

 by the overlapping of the fifth dorsal segment 

 or plate at the moment when the caterpillar 

 casts its final skin. Prior to this event the 

 b^t may be seen to pass over the back, but 

 after the change to a chrysalis has taken place 

 it is no longer perceptible beyond the inner 

 margin of the wing-case, where it appears as 

 though entering the body by a minute aper- 

 ture, and as passing through the body and again 

 re-appearing at a corresponding aperture on the 

 opposite side ; in fact, the appearance is ex- 

 actly the same as if the belt had been passed, 

 by means of a needle, completely through the 

 body, going in at one side and out at the other. 

 The fabrication of the belt is a most interesting 

 process : the caterpillar, clinging to a coverlet 

 or network of silk spread over the surface of 

 some perpendicular object, turns his head in 

 one direction until it nearly touchesthe middle 

 of his side ; he then spins from his mouth a 

 silken thread, attaching the end thereof to the 

 silk already spread to receive it. Having 

 made the thread fast at this spot, he may be 

 said to carry it in his mouth over his back to 

 a similar spot on the other side of his body, 

 where he again makes it fast ; and thus a first 

 stop is taken in the fabrication of the belt : 



the operation is repeated twenty, thirty, or 

 even forty times, and an equal number of 

 threads pass over his back. These silken 

 threads, like those in each strand of a cable, 

 unite in forming a single strand, and seem, 

 not only to be parallel, but to adhere to each 

 other. I can detect no movement by which 

 they are twisted together, but, nevertheless, 

 they are united, and it is only when forcibly 

 broken that the number of single threads 

 becomes manifest. The required number of 

 threads being produced, the caterpillar rests 

 from, his labour and waits the hour of trans- 

 formation. The subdivision contains two 

 Natural Orders. 



Natural Order III. WOODLOUSE-SHAPED (in science 

 Onisciformes). 



The distinguishing character of which is 

 that the caterpillar is shaped like a woodlouse ; 

 its head is very small, and completely retractile 

 within the second segment ; the legs and 

 claspers are also concealed by the dilated sides 

 of the caterpillar. The chrysalis is obese and 

 generally rounded ; it is attached by the tail 

 as well as supported by the silken band or 

 belt already described. The British butterflies 

 contained in this order are generally divided 

 into two families, distinguished by the per- 

 fection or imperfection of the fore legs in the 

 male. 



Family 7. DRYADS (in science Erycinidce). 



The only notable distinction between this 

 and the following family is in the perfect 

 insect, the males of which, in the Erydnidce 

 have only four perfect legs, while the females 

 have six. 



31. DUKE OF BURGUNDY. The fore wings 

 have the costal margin very nearly straight, 

 the tip blunt, but not rounded, and the hind 



