Canadian Butterflies. 351 



than those of the small moths ! The books which describe our 

 butterflies, it is true,' also give descriptions of their caterpillars 

 and their food ; but these cannot be depended upon ; they are 

 only copied from other books, and may be traced back from 

 author to author, until they turn out to be the original descrip- 

 tions of some old French, Dutch, or German entomologist, who 

 looked at objects with a very different eye to that which we use. 

 As such, they remind us rather of the astonishment expressed by 

 Mr. John Robinson's friend on finding he was really alive : — 



' Somebody told me that some one said 

 That some other person had somewhere read, 

 In some newspaper you were somehow dead!' 



Our readers are therefore recommended to catechizo themselves 

 by seeing how many of the following questions they can answer 

 with reference to those butterflies with which they may consider 

 themselves best acquainted : — 



1. "Where is the egg laid? 



2. How soon is it hatched ? 



3. How long does the larva live before changing its skin ? 



4. What change takes place in the form and markings of the 

 larva when it changes its skin ? 



5. Is the larva gregarious or solitary ? 



6. Is it active or sluggish ? 



V. Does it feed by night or by day ? 



8. What is its principal food-plant ? 



9. On what other plants is it sometimes found ? 



10. At what period is the larva full fed ? 



11. W 7 hat change takes place in the appearance of the larva 

 when full fed ? 



12. Where does it change to pupa ? 



13. How is the pupa suspended or attached ? 



14. What is the form of the pupa ? 



15. How long does it remain in that state ? 



16. What are the motions of the perfect insect ? 

 IT. To what flowers is it most partial ? 



18. Does it hybernate or not? 



When these questions can be answered with reference to each 

 species of our butterflies, we may then admit that their natural 

 history is known ; and it would then become practicable to write 

 a good monograph of the group. 



