LIBRARY 



757192 



UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO 





^yrz^^ /Ct^i^ 



PIGON. 



SOME NOTES UPON COLLECTING AND BREEDING BUTTERFLIES 



FROM THE EGG. 



BT JAMES FLETCHER, OTTAWA. 





It is a recognized fact in Economic Entomology that the most important inTvati- 

 gations are those bv which the life-histories of insects are made out, in order that dbb 

 most appropriate remedies may be adopted for injurious species. In Scientific Emib^ 

 mology these investigations are no less important, but are undeitaktn with different ylytaa* 

 in view. For the accurate determination and separation of closely related sfiecitjR, it ^ 

 frequently necessary to know an insect in all its statues from the egg to the perfect i^m^ 

 In no branch of Natural History is this more necessary tlmn with some of our DiTiinii«J 

 Lepidoptera — the butterflies — those living flowers which flitting from blossom to blossom 

 add such an unspeakable charm to the summer landscape. In th<f North Anjerican imK^icIt 

 fauna we hav« some very large genera, as the Fritillaries {Argynnid(f) and the CJoniltti 

 Yi'llows (Coliade«). These contain many clost\iy allied species, and it would actnallf be 

 diflicuit in all cases to identify with certainty the perfect insects, without a knowleil^'of tbtt 

 pn-paratory 8tag»«, and some have only been shown to be distinct by breeding from tbt «!£^ 

 and noting carefully the {wints upon which thoy constantly differ in their various Bt4ii£(*a 

 of growth. Whilht, in the first case, the exact scientific identification of the iuBeot, iu* 

 classification, name and specific value are of little interest, so that so much of its txihUm 

 can be discovered a% will enable us to pat a stop to, or prevent a recurrenoe <:£ iss 

 ravages ; in the other case, the exact identification and correct classification ar^' tt8ue> 

 important points aimed at. Sometimes, as in the well-known cases of Papilw Ajax. C'Jinu 

 Euryllmnu blwA Grapta Interrogationis, several apparently very different varieties hav^'Diaea 

 shown to Ik? merely varietal forms of one species, and the interesting discovery has b«eu wada- 

 that one or other of these forms prep(jnderate3 at certain seasons of the year. Tb^BP dis- 

 coveries are cliiefly due to the constant and untiring labours of Mr. W. H. Edwards, of Wff*fc 

 Virginia, who not only himself patiently and persistently perseveres in his studies, hm& 

 has also taken great pains to induce others to help in the work. His kinduefie aod 

 prompt attention in advising and helping others cannot be too highly spoken of. In 

 the Cutiailian EntmifJogigt, for 1885, appeared some admirable articles upon Vjireed- 

 ing frtMu the eg'4, in which the results of lii-s long experience were given. These ii*«» 

 been of great assistance to those who have taken up this most interesting brajac&t «it 

 entomology, and the writer acknowledges with gratitude his own indebtedness. Titow 

 who have never caught a butterfly and caged it to obtain its eggs, and then bred th«we so 

 maturity, cannot form the slightest idea of the all-absorbing interest and pleasure tJsat 

 attend these observations. Moreover, their utility, as teaching what to observe, buv ■i^ 

 observe it, and then how to record what is seen, so that it may be of use to others, cuuMt 

 be over-estimated. At first, of course, there are some dilficulties, but with a litsJb 

 practice these can be overcome. This fact is particularly manifest in drawing or de- 

 scribing the young caterpillars at the different moults. All caterpillars chan^ 

 skins four or fire times after they leave the egg, so as to allow for the rapid ii 

 in size of their growing bodies. At all these moults, important changes ifi 

 structure and in the markings of the skin take place, and for this rea«(»i '^^ 



