LEPIDOPTERA. 



with one common skin ; their position and shape, 

 however, can in most cases be traced. Butterflies 

 pass their pupa state without any external protec- 

 tion ; most of them being either suspended loosely by 

 the tail in a perpendicular position from a little but- 

 ton of silk, or having, in addition to this support, a 

 girdle of silk passing round the body, fastened on 

 each side, on which the chrysalis hangs horizontally 

 or obliquely. Many Moths are protected in this 

 state by an oval cocoon, more or less dense, composed 

 of silk spun by the caterpillar just before its change, 

 but a large number undergo their change in the 

 earth, destitute of any protection. 



The Lepidoptera are arranged in three great fa- 

 milies, named from the season of their chief activity. 



FAM. I. DIURNA,* BUTTERFLIES. 



In this family we find the greatest elegance of 

 form and richness of colouring, especially in those 

 magnificent species which inhabit the tropics. The 

 wings, almost invariably, are erected when the In- 

 sect rests, so that the upper surfaces of the opposite 

 pairs come in contact with each other. In most 

 genera, the antennae are long, slender, and, except 

 in those which form the connecting link with the 

 other families, terminated by a club. 



The genus Papilio^ restricted as it now is, is 



* Dlurnus^ belonging to the day. 

 t The Latin name for a butterfly. 



