THE BUTTERFLY. 



603 



The butterflies, as well as the moths, em- 

 ploy the short life assigned them in a variety 

 of enjoyments. Their whole time is spent 

 either in quest of food, which every flower 



Latreille. The latter term has been applied to them, 

 because many of the most conspicuous species are observed 

 on the wing chiefly during the morning and evening 

 twilight ; others, however, do not shun the "garish eye 

 of day," but may be seen darting about in the sunshine 

 in company with butterflies and other exclusively diurnal 

 kinds. Their flight is exceedingly rapid, and continued 

 nearly in a direct line, somewhat like that of a bird, 

 differing greatly in this respect from the devious zig-zag 

 motion of most other lepidoptera, many of which seem to 

 float rather than to be impelled by muscular exertion. 

 The wings, notwithstanding, are rather of small size 

 compared with the body ; but the thickness and massive- 

 ness of the latter admits of great development in the 

 muscles by which these organs are moved, and a momen- 

 tum is thus communicated to them more than sufficient 

 to compensate for their somewhat limited extent of sur- 

 face. By their rapid vibration, the taper body of the 

 insect is poised in the air like that of a hawk, while it 

 hovers over the petals of a flower, and extracts the melli- 

 fluous juices by means of its long tubular proboscis. The 

 resemblance just alluded to has caused them to be named 

 hawk-moths ; and as many of them, when thus hover- 

 ing in the air, produce a humming sound, and in this 

 respect, as well as in feeding on the wing and in the 

 darting rapidity of their movements, bear some likeness 

 to humming-birds, a few are named after these "winged 

 gems," and are well known under the somewhat com- 

 posite title of humming-bird hawk-moths. 



The number of these insects found in Britain is not 

 inconsiderable, and includes all the kinds indigenous to 

 Europe, except a few species. Several conspicuous kinds 

 have been admitted into our native lists, in consequence 

 of the occurrence of one or two examples ; but from what 

 we know of their history and geographical distribution, 

 it seems more proper to ascribe their appearance in this 

 country to fortuitous causes, such as accidental importa- 

 tion along with foreign productions, than to their being 

 aboriginal natives of the soil. 



Although moths (proper) may be characteristically said 

 to be nocturnal insects, it must not be understood that 

 their appearance is exclusively confined to the night, or 

 even the twilight. The gamma-moth, the majority of 

 the male bombycidae, and others too numerous to men- 

 tion, may often be seen "floating amid the liquid noon," 

 associated with the multitude of other tribes which the 

 sunshine awakes to active life and enjoyment. But with 

 far the larger proportion, night is the chosen and appro- 

 priate season of activity. During the day they conceal 

 themselves in clefts of trees, among tangled vegetation 

 and under leaves, and seldom issue from their retreats 

 till the light is beginning to fail. Some are on the wing 

 only in the earlier part of the night, others are later in 

 appearing, and continue their flight till the morning is 

 far advanced. During these excursions many fall a prey 

 to bats and night-birds of various kinds, which delight 

 to capture their insect food when on the wing, seldom 

 searching for it when at rest, according to the general 

 practice of their day-feeding companions. 



The great beauty of many of these insects, the almost 

 infinite variety of their colours and markings, as well as 

 their curious habits and economy, have long rendered 

 this a favourite branch of study with the generality of 

 entomologists. A large proportion of the works relating 

 to insects, especially works of the illustrated class, are 

 devoted to the elucidation of this tribe ; and in almost 

 every collection of indigenous specimens, they occupy a 

 prominent place. The zeal with which the rarer and 

 more beautiful kinds have been sought after, and the 



offers ; or in pursuit of the female,, whose ap- 

 proach they can often perceive at two miles' 

 distance. Their sagacity in this particular is 

 not less astonishing than true ; but by what 



estimation in which they have been held when obtained, 

 is sufficiently evinced by the high-sounding names, by 

 means of which collectors have attempted to express 

 their admiration. Such designations as the Emperor, 

 Nonpareil, Kentish Glory, Richmond Beauty, &c. have 

 been applied to them almost as liberally as similar names 

 are used by the fanciers of gigantic gooseberries and 

 peerless tulips, in reference to the objects of their pre- 

 dilection. In proportion to the eagerness shown in the 

 pursuit, has been the variety of plans adopted to obtain 

 specimens with the greatest ease and in the best possible 

 condition. One of the most satisfactory methods is to 

 rear the larvae, when these can be obtained, till they 

 change to pupae, and the moths are thus secured as soon 

 as they emerge, with the beauty of their plumage unim- 

 paired. Mr Kirby mentions, that the seasons in which 

 the London amateurs repair to the woods in search of 

 larvae, are the beginning of April, June, the beginning 

 of July, and September; and they dig for the pupae late in 

 July, and in January and February. The perfect insects 

 are to be found all the summer and autumn, and certain 

 kinds even iu winter. The attractions of a youthful 

 female of their own species affords a means of procuring 

 several of the larger Bombycidae, even in places where they 

 might not previously be supposed to exist. Advantage 

 is often taken of the propensity which these insects show, 

 in common with many other nocturnal animals, to repair 

 to a light, when they may be readily seized as they con- 

 tinue to flutter around it in a kind of bewildered state. 

 As the most effectual means of employing a light, it is 

 recommended that it should be placed in a lanthora, and 

 the latter fixed on the breast by means of a belt around 

 the waist, both hands being thus left at liberty. If in- 

 disposed, however, to make much personal exertion, the 

 Aurelian may often reap a rich harvest merely by open- 

 ing the windows of a lighted apartment, especially if his 

 dwelling be in the vicinity of woo4s, and securing such 

 visitors as make their appearance within. The following 

 extract shows with what success this plan has been 

 attended. " My success in obtaining lepidoptera, to 

 which I am particularly attached," says the Rev. C. S. 

 Bird, '* I owe to the use of a lamp to attract moths. 

 During the moonless nights of summer, I sit with a 

 Sinumbra-lamp, and perhaps one or two smaller lamps, 

 placed on a table close to the window. The moths 

 speedily enter the room, if the weather he warm. I have 

 had a levee of more than a hundred between the hours of 

 ten and twelve. In the spring, too, and autumn, I have 

 been frequently fortunate, though generally having my 

 patience sufficiently tried. In March, for instance, I 

 have taken many specimens of Biston prodromarius in 

 one evening; Glcca rubricosa and Lytcca leucographa 

 have accompanied them. In April and May, Cucullia 

 fissina, and Peridaea serrata have visited me. When 

 November has arrived, Petasia cassinea and Paecilocampa 

 populi have crowded into my room. Of course, at such 

 cool times of the year the window must be kept shut till 

 the moths knock for admittance. If at any time of the 

 year a warm mist pervade the air, there is almost a cer- 

 tainty of success. But should any one be induced by 

 this account to try the lamp, he must make up his mind 

 to experience more of unfavourable evenings than favour- 

 able. There is, however, this advantage in my seden- 

 tary plan of mothing, that it can be combined with read- 

 ing or writing ; and the intervals between the arrivals 

 need not be lost. Moths are extremely sensible of any 

 keenness in the air ; a north or east wind is very likely 

 to keep them from venturing abroad. Different species 

 have different hours of flight. Thus, on a mild and dark 



