INTRODUCTORY. IX 



harmonize in a remarkable manner with the usual resting-place. 

 It is therefore of service to the insect when settled with wings 

 erect over the back, in the manner of all butterflies, except 

 some few kinds of Skippers. 



The number of known species of butterflies throughout the 

 world has been put at about thirteen thousand, and it has 

 been suggested by Dr. Sharp that there may be nearly twice 

 as many still awaiting discovery. Dr. Staudinger in his 

 "Catalog " gives a list of over seven hundred kinds of butterflies 

 as occurring in the whole of the Palasarctic Region. This 

 zoological region embraces Europe, including the British 

 Islands, Africa north of the Atlas range of mountains, and 

 temperate Asia, including Japan. The entire number of species 

 that can by any means be regarded as British does not exceed 

 sixty-eight. Even this limited total comprises sundry migratory 

 butterflies, such as the Clouded Yellows, the Painted Lady, the 

 Red Admiral, the Camberwell Beauty, and the Milkweed 

 Butterfly ; and also the still less frequent, or perhaps more 

 accidental visitors, the Long-tailed Blue and the Bath White. 

 Again, the Large Copper is now extinct in England, and the 

 Mazarine Blue does not seem to have been observed in any of 

 its old haunts in the country for over forty years. The Black- 

 veined White is also scarce and exceedingly local. 



The majority of the remaining fifty-seven butterflies may 

 be considered natives, and of these about half are so widely 

 distributed that the young collector should, if fairly energetic, 

 secure nearly all of them during his first campaign. The other 

 species will have to be looked for in their special localities, but 

 a few kinds are so strictly attached to particular spots, that a 

 good deal of patience will have to be exercised before a chance 

 may occur of obtaining them. 



A few remarks may here be made in reference to the names 

 and arrangement adopted in the present volume. 



As will be adverted to in the descriptive section, the English 



