GENERAL CHARACTERS 



ours. A boy is often easily surprised by a playmate who approaches 

 him stealthily from behind, but did you ever try the same game 

 with a butterfly ? I have, many a time. After getting cautiously 

 so near to a butterfly at rest as to be able to distinguish between 

 its head and its hinder extremity, I have quietly circled round it so 

 as to approach it from behind, being at the time under the impres- 

 sion that it wouldn't see me under those circumstances. But not 

 the slightest advantage did I derive from this stratagem, for the 

 position and construction of its eyes enabled it to see almost all 

 ways at once. 



In addition to the two compound eyes, the Lepidoptera, or at 

 least most of them, are provided with two small simple eyes ; 



FIG. 5. ANTENNA OF 

 BUTTERFLIES. 



FIG. 6. ANTENNAS or 

 MOTHS. 



but these are generally so hidden among the closely set hair that 

 covers the head, that it is doubtful whether they are of much 

 service as organs of vision. 



The antennae proceed from two points close to the upper 

 borders of the eyes. They are jointed organs, and are of very 

 different forms in the various species of Lepidoptera. They are 

 generally long, slender, and clubbed at the extremity in butterflies, 

 but exhibit several minor points of difference which we shall have to 

 note later on, In moths the antennae are sometimes long, slender, 

 and pointed. Some are thick, and more or less prismatic in form ; 

 while others are slightly or deeply pectinated or comb-like. The 



