THE BUTTERFLIES OF THE VICINITY OF NEW YORK 



CITY. 



Bl Will IAM 1-5 1 I 1 l.NMl I I BR, 



Curator, Department of Entomology, 



Butterflies and moths belong to the order of scaly-winged 

 insects or " Lepidoptera." The two may be distinguished readily 

 by the fact that the butterflies have the tips of the antennae 

 thickened into knobs, while the antennae of the moths are thread-, 

 comb-, or feather-like. Butterflies fly in the sunshine, but moths 

 generally are night fliers. 



The eggs of butterflies are far more variable in shape than are 

 those of moths and insects of other orders, and their surface 

 often is elaborately ornamented with raised lines and spots. 

 They are laid singly or in masses. The caterpillars are long and 

 cylindrical, and are composed of twelve joints or segments be- 

 sides the head. Each of the first three segments bears a pair of 

 simple, short, articulated feet. These three segments represent 

 the thorax, and, the remaining nine the abdomen, of the perfect 

 insect. The sixth to the ninth and the last joints of the cater- 

 pillar as a rule are furnished with a pair each of thick, fleshy 

 limbs, termed "pro-legs." These legs have powerful muscles 

 and are provided at their extremities with a great number of 

 minute recurved hooks which enable the caterpillar to hold to its 

 place of rest. When fully grown, they suspend themselves from 

 some convenient object by means of a silken button, -"me using 

 a silken thread around the body in addition to the button, and 

 change into ehrysalids. 



The present Guide Leaflet 1 is a popular account of the 

 butterflies which arc- to be found within approximately fifty 



furth< r. an n 



pp 241- 

 310, 1893. 



