orange band corresponding with the copper band of the other side, and a number of grey-edged black spots.

Fig. 1 represents the female, and Fig. 2 the male.

The larva is a sluggish and slug-like creature, feeding on the great water dock {Rumex hydrolapathum), which only grows in wet places. It moves very slowly, and, as the colour almost exactly resembles that of the leaf on which it feeds, it is not easily seen. This caterpillar is shown at Fig. a, and the pupa at Fig. b. Fig. c represents one of the antennae. Fig. d, the palpus.

As far as England goes, this handsome Butterfly is now extinct. In former years it was tolerably plentiful in the fens of Cambridge and Huntingdon, but no specimens have been seen for many years, and, in all probability, the last British specimens were taken in 1848.

A GOOD example of the Blue Butterflies is given on ^^'’oodcut XLIII. Fig. 3. This is the Clifden Blue {Polyommatus Adonis).

The colour of this pretty species is bright shining blue, with a delicate white line on the costal margin of the forewings, and a black line on the hind margin. The fringe of the wing is pure white, with a black spot at the end of each nervure. The female is brown on the upper sm-face, witli a slight gloss of blue, and on the fore-wings is an indistinct blackish spot on the disc, and a number of small spots parallel with the hind margin. Both sexes have the under-side of the wings brownish, with a number of little spots. This Butterfly is found on chalk downs and similar places, but seems to be restricted to those spots where there is a substratum of chalk.

Passing of necessity by the rest of the Blues and the little Butterflies called by the name of Hair-streaks, we come to the family of Hesperidas, popularly known by the name of •Skippers, probably on account of their quick, uncertain flight. They are all small insects, coloured with brown, black, grey, and white, and very thickly and clumsily made, so that many persons unskilled in entomology take them for moths. Tliey have the fore-legs fitted for walking, and when at rest they

hold their wings only partially erect, and never pressed closely together, as is the case with the previously-mentioned Butterflies. They are plentiful in country lanes, and are often taken in the net when the stroke is made at other insects, their vague and almost jerking flight carrying them into it.

The pupae of these insects resemble those of several moths in the manner in which they are protected dining their helpless state of existence. When the larva is full-fed, it spins a cocoon among the leaves of its food-plant, and in that silken cell awaits its change into the perfect condition.

The species which is represented on Woodcut XLIir. Fig. 4, IS the Chequered Skipper {Hesperia paniscus). The colour of its wings is dark brown, upon which are a number of yellow spots, arranged as shown in the illustration. The antenme are bright yellow beneath, and banded with black and yellow above. It IS rather a local species, and is found chiefly in the Midland counties. It appears in the beginning of summer.

A MOEK common species, the Grizzled Skipper {Hespena malvcG or alveolus) is shown on Woodcut XLIII. Fig 5. The wings are nearly black, sprinkled with white spots, as shown in the dlustration. The antenn® are white, ringed with black, mere are, however, several varieties of colouring, one of which IS so constant that the insects have been considered to form a different species, under the name of Scarce Grizzled Skipper.

The larva of this species feeds on the common bramble, and draws together the edges of the leaves, so as to form a tempoiaiy habitation. Its colour is brownish green, with a few ai stripes, and the pupa is greyish white, spotted with black. I lie perfect insect appears at the beginning of summer.

CHAPTER II.

Heterocera, Or Moths. The Noctueni, Including The Sphinges And Bombyces Of Linnjids.

It has already been mentioned that there is no difficulty in distinguishing English butterflies from English Moths. Similarly, there is none in distinguishing English Moths from English butterflies.

In the first place, the antennae of these insects are not knobbed at the end, but pointed. Some of them have the ends of the antennae much enlarged, as may be seen by reference to the Moths on Plate XIV. and Woodcut XLIV. In all these, however, the club of the antenna is elongated, and the end is pointed. Moreover, whereas in the butterfly the shaft of the antenna is straight and simple, in many of the Moths it is curved, and in others is adorned with a feathering, sometimes on one side and often on both. For this reason the scientific name of Heteroceba, or ‘Varied horns,’ has been given to these insects, just as Rhopalocera, or ‘ Clubbed boras’ is given to the butterflies.

Then, the wings of a Moth at rest are not pressed together over the back, like those of the butterflies, but either lie flat on the body or along its sides. The body, moreover, i

has no waist like that of the butterfly. Keeping these few and obvious distinctions in his mind, the young entomologist need never hesitate to decide to which great group any lepidopterous insect belongs.

The first family is that of the Sphingidte or Sphinx-Moths. They derive their name, not from any peculiarity in the Moths ^ themselves, but in their larvee, some of which are thought to | bear in their attitude a fanciful resemblance to the well- f:

5 i 1

death’s head moth.

known Spbiux of Egypt. The Moths themselves are popularly and appropriately called Hawk-Moths, on account of the great swiftness of their flight, which very much resembles that of the hawk tribe. Their whole structure, indeed, shows that they are made for rapid flight, and, if we compare them with the swift-flying birds, especially the swallows and the hummingbirds, we shall find that the outlines of Moths and birds are wonderfully similar. Their bodies are of moderate length, and pointed at the tail, and their wings are long, strong, stiff, narrow, and pointed. In fact, if the shadow of a hummingbird and of a Hawk Mt)th were thrown side by side on the same surface, it would not be easy to tell which was the shadow of the bird and which of the insect.

With a very few exceptions, these Moths fly only at night or in the dusk of the evening, so that to watch their flight is not an easy matter. The best plan is, on some moonlight night, to take a stand near some honey-bearing flowers, to remain perfectly still, and watch quietly. Should there be Hawk- Moths in the neighbourhood, some of them are tolerably sure to come to the flowers, and to feed in their own peculiar manner, by poising themselves in mid-air on their rapidly quivering wings, and thrusting their sucking-tubes or trunks into the recesses of the flower. As these Moths will not fly by day, and as the partial darkness prevents their movements from being seen, it is better to look out for the well-known Humming-bird Hawk-Moth, which does fly by day, and is a very bold insect, allowing itself to be approached quite closely.

Our first example of the Hawk-Moths is the magnificent Death’s Head Moth {Acherontia Atropos), a figure of which is given on Plate XTV. Fig. 1.

This splendid creature ranks among the very largest of our insects, inasmuch as the spread of its wings is very considerable, and the body is thick and heavily made. The upper surface of the fore wings is warm-brown, with bands and mottlings of a darker hue, and a little white spot on the disc. The hind wings are yellow, with two black bands. The thorax is densely covered with a soft velvet-like down, feelinoto the touch very much like the fur of the mole. The colour IS a very deep black-brown, and in the middle is a yellow

mark which bears the most startling resemblance to a skull and the two collar bones. The hair is so long that the shape of the skull can be altered by pressure. The body is yellow, with a longitudinal black stripe along the middle, and six black transverse bands, each marking the edge of a segment. Beneath, the body and wings are yellow, with an indistinct dark band across the middle of each wing and a slightly darkened edging. The antennae are very thick, covered with down, and furnished at the tips with a sharp hook.

In fact, the chief characteristic of this insect is hair, with which the body, thorax, head, antennae, and legs are thickly covered, even the wings have a soft, downy aspect, which is due to the structure of the scales. If some of these scales be detached, and examined by means of a microscope, they will be seen to be very large, and increasing in width from the base to the tip, which is modified into four or five long points.

The larva of this Moth is of enormous size, as may be seen by reference to Plate XIV. Fig. 2. in which the larva is drawn of its natural size. It is a very handsome caterpillar, and exceedingly variable in tint, the general colour varying through different shades of yellow, green, and grey. The whole surface is covered with very tiny black dots, and on each side are seven diagonal blue or purple stripes, edged with white. Near the end of the tail is a curious horn-like appendage, curved downwards and then slightly recurved upwards near the point. The horn, contrary to the usual fashion of such horns, is very rough and covered with tubercles.

It feeds on various plants, of which the jessamine and the potato are the favourites, though it may be found in the snowberry, the tea-tree, and the deadly nightshade, this plant being allied to the potato. This caterpillar is invariably called a locust by the country people. As both the caterpillar and Moth are nocturnal feeders, although the country be covered with potato-fields, and the insect be quite plentiful, it will be seen as seldom as if it were one of the rarest of species. In the neighbourhood of my house there are several large potato-fields, and I often have these splendid Moths brought to me, so that I have been enabled to supply my friends with specimens, and to watch their ways when in confinement.

One of the most remarkable points in connection with this

insect is its capability of producing sounds — a capability which is scarcely less striking than the skull depicted upon its tliorax. If seized, or alarmed in any way, it produces — for I cannot say utters — a sharp squeaking sound, something like the cry of a mouse. It was always easy to make my Death’s Head Moths squeak, nothing more being required than to introduce a little stick under the glass shade which covered them, and to press one of their feet. The aggrieved Moth would then crouch as low as possible, and, with a sort of shiver or tremble of the whole body, out came the squeak.

Although this sound is familiar to entomologists, no one has yet discovered its source. Some have thought that it is caused by the rubbing of the head against the thorax, some by the attrition of the antennae and trimk, and some by the friction of the thorax against the abdomen. These theories are, however, neutralised by the fact that not only can the perfect insect produce the squeak, but that the caterpillar can do so, whicli possesses neither trunk nor antennae, and has no distinctive head, thorax, or abdomen.

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