INTRODUCTION 



There are many students of Nature who 

 know the more common birds and flowers ; but 

 our experience as teachers has convinced us that 

 there are comparatively few that know the com- 

 mon butterflies. This fact seems remarkable 

 when we consider the abundance of butterflies 

 and their attractive features ; and it can not be 

 due to an unwillingness on the part of students to 

 study these creatures. The reason for this condi- 

 tion must be a lack of suitable aids to beginners 

 in this study. 



The literature treating of American butterflies 

 is a very rich one ; it includes large, scholarly 

 works with magnificent illustrations, and a con- 

 siderable number of smaller manuals. But we 

 believe that there is a field for still another book 

 on this subject ; one that is richly illustrated 

 without a confusing array of figures of species 

 from remote parts of our country ; one with brief 

 descriptions of species but sufficiently full so that 

 the reader can definitely determine the species 

 studied ■ and one that shall give the more impor- 



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