The common butterflies : an outline for butterfly study

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UBRARY
OF TOE

UNIVERSITY OF IUIN0I8.

The Common Butterflies

AN OUTLINE FOR BUTTERFLY STUDY

ANNA BOTSFORD COMSTOCK

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF NATURE STUDY
CORNELL UNIVERSITY

The

LIBRARY

OF THE

UNIVERSITY OF iUiROIS

Comstock Publishing Company
Ithaca, N. Y.

r

The Common Butterflies

Anna Botsford Comstock

Photo by Dr. R. W. Shufeldl

The Zebra Swallowtail

The summer form showing the long white-bordered tails

REPRINT FROM
THE NATURE-STUDY REVIEW
SEPTEMBER, 1917

Pholo by Dr. R. W. Shufeldt

Spice-bush Swallow-tail ( Papilio troilus ) ; male. (Nat. size on negative). The
vine is the Bindweed, and the flowers are of the Butterfly Milkweed.

THE COMMON BUTTERFLIES

HE BUTTERFLIES afford ideal material
ffor nature-study, and especially for inter-
esting the pupils in the mastery of a group. In
almost any locality outside of the large city,
there may be found in the course of a season
thirty or forty species of butterflies, and at least
twenty of these are common. Because the
number is so small, the species are easily
learned and most of them may be identified while on the wing.
The teacher should bear this point in mind for it is a great ad-
vantage for a child to be able to identify a creature without having
to kill it to make sure.

In 1 906 when the editor was conducting the Home Nature-Study
Course for Cornell University, a butterfly leaflet was issued as a
part of this course. This leaflet was very popular at the time and
there are still many requests for it from teachers and pupils of
many states although the leaflet has been long out of print.
Therefore, it has seemed wise to reprint it with such additions as
will make it applicable to a wider range than New York State for
which the original was written.

A pleasure similar to that afforded by the sight of a beautiful
flower is experienced when the eye rests upon a bright hued butter-
fly. It may be balancing itself above its partner in beauty, the
flower which gives it nectar, or it may be following the graceful
curves of its path in the air, or if frightened it may zigzag by so
swiftly that the eye only catches a bit of moving color; and
although almost every one is attracted by these beautiful creatures,
yet aside from two or three of the most common species very few
people know their names or their habits. Yet each one of the
butterflies has a most interesting life-history, and some of them are
of great economic importance.

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218

NA T URE-ST UDY RE VIE W [13 :6— Sept., 1917

THE ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF BUTTERFLIES

For the most part butterflies are not injurious; although while
in the caterpillar stage they feed upon vegetation, most species

live upon weeds of
various kinds, and
those that feed
upon the leaves of
trees rarely occur
in such numbers as
to do damage. The
cabbage butterfly
is a notable ex-
ception; it came
to us from Europe
and is now a wide-
spread pest that
would work de-

The Black Swallowtail

Expanse three and one-half to four inches. Color strUction to the en-
brownish-black, the front wings spotted with yel-
low, the hind wings bearing yellow and blue spots, tire crop of cabbage
There is a red eye-spot at the inner angle of the other crucifer-

hind wing.

ous garden plants

if left alone. The caterpillars of the black swallowtail occasionally
occur in sufficient numbers to damage celery, and the young of the
giant swallowtail do injury to the foliage of orange trees; occa-
sionally the caterpillars of the mourning cloak do some damage to
elms. However, all butterfly caterpillars are easily gotten rid of
by spraying the foliage on which they are feeding with poisoned
water. The benefits conferred by butterflies are only partially
known and little appreciated. Very many flowers depend upon
butterflies for carrying and bringing pollen. The black swallow-
tail is especially beneficent in this respect. A large number of the
species assist in cross pollinating the flowers of the plants on which
their young feed and thus they pay back their debt. One little
radical, the wanderer, has departed from the traditions of the
butterfly family; its caterpillar feeds upon plant lice and thus is
very helpful.

THE COMMON BUTTERFLIES

219

THE LIFE HISTORY OF A BUTTERFLY

The life-history consists of four stages :

First. — The eggs which
are laid upon the food
plant by the mother but-
terfly; these eggs are often
exquisite in color and beau-
tifully ribbed and pitted so
that when seen through the
microscope they look like
gems.

Second. — The caterpillars
which hatch from these eggs
and which feed upon the
food plant until fully developed. Before reaching its full growth,

the caterpil-
lar sheds its
skeleton- skin
four or five
times; often
this change of
skin makes a
change in the
appearance
and in the
color of the
caterpillar.
Third. — The
pupa state or

Caterpillar of Black Swallowtail in two stages of growth. , ■. •

The larger one has the scent organs protruding. cnrysaiis.

When the

caterpillar is full grown it sheds its old skin and appears in a very
different form, that of the
chrysalis or pupa. The
pupae of the butterflies are
never protected by a cocoon as
are the pupae of moths. This
is one of the chief differences

between moths and butter- Chrysalis of Black Swallowtail

Eggs of Black Swallowtail, enlarged.

220

NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [13:6 — Sept., 1917

flies. The caterpillar, before it changes to a pupa, makes a button
of silk and sometimes also a loop of silk by which the pupa is sus-
pended. As the insect when in the pupa or chrysalis state is
helpless and unable to move, it is, therefore, an easy prey to birds
and other enemies; thus the chrysalis is usually inconspicuous and
placed in some position where it is not easily detected by even the
keenest eyes.

Fourth. — After a time the pupa skin is shed and from this comes
the winged insect in all its beauty of color and form.

HOW TO STUDY THE BUTTERFLIES

The caterpillars may be found on their food plant and reared
indoors. This requires a great deal of care in providing fresh food
and in looking after the wants of the little
prisoners. This is the best way to study
the insects, as we thus become acquainted
with the caterpillar and its habits and also
the chrysalis; and when finally the winged
insect emerges we may become familiar
with its colors and markings before we set
it free to carry on its work of perpetuating
the species and of carrying pollen for the
flowers.

Or we may catch a butterfly with a net
without injuring it and let it loose in the
room where we can study it at close range
and get thoroughly acquainted with its
size, form and colors. This is an excellent
way.

The most common way of studying
these insects but perhaps not necessarily
the best, is to make a collection of but-
terflies. This involves the catching of the
insects in a net, and killing them in a cyanide
bottle, or by pinching the thorax, and then
spreading the wings carefully, letting them
dry extended, and then placing the speci-
mens in a box for safe keeping. Every beginner experiences
great trouble in keeping such specimens free from the little pests

lllliil

Spreading Board

THE COMMON BUTTERFLIES

221

which destroy them. The boxes of insects in any museum have to
be looked over carefully every month and such as are infested
treated with the deadly fumes of some gas. Undoubtedly the best
and cheapest way for amateurs to mount their insects in permanent
form is to use the Riker mounts which consist of shallow cardboard
boxes with glass covers and filled with cotton. The size of box
large enough for most of our butterflies costs fifteen cents each, and
they come in cases, a dozen in a case. The butterfly is spread and
placed on the cotton, the cover put on and sealed with gum paper
and the specimen is safe for all time. As there is a box for each,
any specimen may be passed around and studied by itself.

Such a collection of butterflies is a great help to a teacher as she
is thus able to bring a page from nature’s book into the schoolroom
for the pupil’s enjoyment and enlightenment,
means advise that the pupils themselves
make a collection of insects, or that they
be encouraged to do so.

While we do not advise the children to
make collections of insects our reasons for
doing so are based quite as much upon other
grounds as upon that of developing cruelty
in the child. The taking of life of the lower
animals is a matter that had best not be
too much dwelt upon before children, for
we cannot be consistent in our teaching
and they soon discover it. For who shall
say that the cat which catches and eats the
robin is more culpable than the person who
eats lamb chop for breakfast, thus sacrific-
ing the life of an innocent and playful
creature to satisfy his appetite? And in the wider view of
the Creator and his creatures, the life of a butterfly is no more
sacred than that of the housefly or a mosquito. It is far safer
to let these questions alone in our teaching and cultivate in the
child an interest in the lives of the lower animals, thus bringing him
into kindly relations with his little neighbors of the field, so that he
will naturally respect their rights. It is the boy who knows the
birds and loves them, who will not shoot them; it is the child who
knows the butterfly by name and something of its interesting habits
who will refrain from crushing the life out of its fragile body.

However, we by no

A Breeding Cage

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NATURE-STUDY REVIEW

[13:6— Sept., 1917

We cannot eradicate cruelty by punishment or repression; but
we may crowd it out of the child’s character, by putting in its place
little by little the humane and tender sentiments which inevitably
follow a knowledge of the life and habits of even the lowest creature.

FIFTY COMMON BUTTERFLIES

In the following descriptions the measurement of the butterfly is
made across the spread wings from tip to tip ; unfortunately, it was
not practicable to have the pictures of all the butterflies natural
size. It must be borne in mind that individual butterflies of the
same species may vary in size somewhat. When the size of the
caterpillar is given it means the fully grown larva just before it
changes to a pupa.

THE SWALLOWTAILS

These are large handsome butterflies and get their name because
of the prolongation of the hind wings in a manner suggesting the
tail-feathers of a swallow. The caterpillars have a pair of scent
organs just back of the head, which they can thrust out at will.
These are supposed to protect them from the attacks of birds by
rendering them disagreeable to smell and probably to taste.

The Tiger Swallowtail

Expanse, three and one-half to four inches. Colors pale
straw-yellow marked with black. On the hind wing
near the inner angle are blue and red spots.

THE COMMON BUTTERFLIES

223

The Tiger Swallowtail. — This magnificent creature flies about
leisurely and is fond of strong odors whether they be fragrant or
otherwise. It is especially fond of to- #

bacco smoke and will often be seen
following in the wake of a smoker.

The caterpillar has large eye-spots on
the thorax, and it has a pretty habit of
making a silken, spring mattress to rest
upon when it is not eatiilg ; it makes this
by weaving the web of silk across the
leaf pulling the edges of the leaf slightly
together. Food plants, ash, birch and
poplar.

The Black Swallowtail. — This graceful
insect is often found about our houses
visiting the flower gardens. It is one
of the most important pollen carriers

among the butterflies. The male is Caterpiilar ?f the Tiger

Swallow-tail resting on
its silken mattress.

smaller than the
female, and has
two complete
rows of yellow
spots on both
wings. The cat-
erpillar is mostly
black and spiny
when young but
later it is adorned
with green and
black crosswise
stripes, the black
stripes enclosing
six yellow spots.

The Giant Swallowtail Food plants,

This greatest North American butterfly has an expanse of caraway, pars-
five and one-half inches. It is black and marked with celery and

yellow bands diagonally across the wings and near the ; ’
outer border. Wild carrot.

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NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [13:6— Sept., 1917

The Giant Swallowtail. — This is the largest butterfly in North
America. It is a southern species and its caterpillars attack the

leaves of citrus fruits. It is a
disagreeable looking creature,
colored to imitate bird lime,
and when disturbed, erects
its head, throws out its scent
horns and fills the whole
neighborhood with an almost
unbearable stench. It also
feeds upon prickly ash and
lombardy poplar and is some-
times found in the North.

Caterpillar of Giant Swallowtail.

The butterfly is magnificent and creates the greatest excitement
when it appears in the Northern States as it sometimes does in
late summer.

The Zebra Swallowtail. — The wings of the zebra are barred with
blackish and greenish white which make it a striking butterfly.
The length of its graceful
tails is dependent upon
the lateness of the sum-
mer. It is common in the
Southern States where it
goes through several gen-
erations each year. The
caterpillar feeds upon
pawpaw, spicebush and
huckleberry.

The Green-clouded Swal-
lowtail.— The wings are
black; the front wings
with a row of pale straw

colored spots near the . The Zebra Swallowtail

, ,i i The wings are barred with blackish and greenish

outer margin, tne nma white. Near the base of each tail-like pro-
wings are powdered with longation of the wings is a blood red spot, and
yellow -green or blue- beyond this are two purplish blue crescents.

green scales and each bears an orange spot at the middle of its front
edge and one at the hind angle. Six pale crescents form an inside
border to the hind wing. The tails to the wings are paddle-
shaped and rather short. The caterpillar feeds upon spicebush

THE COMMON BUTTERFLIES

225

and sassafras. It has eye spots on its thorax. This species is
common in the Southern States.

The Blue Swallowtail. — This is another black velvety butterfly
with a blue shimmering sheen playing over its wings in the sun-
shine. The fringe on the outer margin of its wings is alternately
black and white and each wing may have a row of whitish spots
just inside the border. The expanse of wings is from three and one-
half to four and one-half inches. Its caterpillars feed upon Dutch-
man’s Pipe, Virginia snake-root, and black bindweed. It is a
common species in the South and might be taken for the green-
clouded species except that it has no orange spots on the hind
wings.

THE PIERIDS

THE WHITES

The Cabbage Butterfly. — This is the white butterfly common near
every garden in which grows cabbage or its near relatives. We

had native species of cabbage
butterflies which did compara-
tively little damage to gardens,
although they were found quite
commonly prior to 1 8 70 ; but this
emigrant Pieris rapce came to us
from Europe getting its foothold
in New York State in 1868.
Now it has driven out all of
our native species; they have
literally taken to the woods and
are found only occasionally flit-
ting about the wild cruciferous
plants. The velvety-green cat-
erpillar of the cabbage butterfly
is very destructive and is well
known. It feeds on other cruci-
ferous garden-plants but pre-
fers cabbage.

The Cabbage Butterfly

Expanse an inch and three-quarters.
Color white with black spots. Male
above, female below.

THE ORANGE-TIPS

The orange-tips are seldom seen; they are smallish white
butterflies marked with black and have the lower sides of the wings

226

NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [13:6— Sept., 1917

marbled and netted with green. Many of the species, especially
the males, have the front wings tipped with orange which gives
them the name. Most of the species are found in the far West,
only two are occasionally found in the East.

The Flacate Orange-Tip. — This butterfly has the apex of the
front wings prolonged into a hook shaped point. Only the males
have the front wings tipped with orange. The caterpillar feeds on
cress, shepherd’s purse and other crucifers.

THE YELLOWS

The Roadside Butterfly — This is the most common repre-
sentative that we have of the yellows, and it may be seen in the

summer in great numbers flit-
ting above the flowers of our
roadsides, or settled for a social
drink about some mud puddle
in the road. Its caterpillar is
small, green in color, and feeds
on clover, vetch, lupine, etc.
It is so well concealed by color
that it is rarely found.

The Sleepy Yellow. — This
butterfly has a wing expanse
of not quite two inches. Its
wings are bordered with a
broad black band and the
dark spot in front of the middle of the front wing extends
up and down and is a mere line, looking like a closed eye. The
caterpillars feed upon cassia, clover and senna. The species is
common in the Southern States.

The Dog's Head. — The wide black border on the front wing of
this butterfly outlines on the yellow a head that resembles that of a
duck quacking more than that of any dog. However, the picture
on the wing of the female is slightly like the profile of a poodle’s
head. The black spot forms a large and startling eye. The cater-
pillar feeds upon false indigo and clover. This species is abundant
in the south western United States and Pacific Coast. Its wing
expanse is about two and one-half inches.

The Little Sulphur. — This is a pocket edition of the roadside
butterfly, marked like it except that it has a dot instead of a spot

The Roadside Butterfly

Expanse, one and three-fourths to two
inches. Color bright, sulphur-yellow.
Wings bordered with blackish. Spot
on the fore wing black and on the
v hind wing orange-yellow.

THE COMMON BUTTERFLIES

227

on the front wing. Its expanse is less than one and one-half
inches. It is common in the Southern States and northward. Its
caterpillar feeds upon cassia and other legumes, preferring the fine-
leaved varieties.

The Orange Sulphur. — This species resembles the roadside
butterfly in size and markings but is orange instead of lemon yellow.
It is found abundantly in the Mississippi Valley. Its caterpillars
feed upon clover, vetch, etc.

The Cloudless Sulphur. — This splendid butterfly, the most
beautiful of all the yellows, has an expanse of two and one-half
inches and looks like a California poppy floating off its stem. The
male is pure yellow with no markings, but the female has just a
suggestion of black border on the outer edge of her wings and a
black spot in front of the middle of each front wing. It is a com-
mon species in the Southern States, and late in the season pushes
northward. The caterpillars feed upon cassia and other legumes.

THE NYMPHS

THE FRITILLARIES OR CHECKER-BOARD BUTTERFLIES

These are reddish-brown butterflies with many black spots on
the upper sides of the wings giving them a checkered appearance;
and with many silver spots on the lower sides of the wings. When
we were children we used to call these round, silver spots “ butterfly
money,” and it was one of our pastimes to gently seize one of these
butterflies when we found it sucking nectar from some thistle
blossom and count its money before we let it go.

The Gulf Fritillary. — This is a bright copper butterfly that bears
some resemblance to the monarch since its veins in the outer por-
tions of the wing are black. It has an expanse of two and one-half
to three inches. It can always be distinguished from other butter-
flies by the form of the silver spots on the lower side of the wing
which are bar-shaped rather than coin- or crescent-shaped. The
caterpillars are spiny and feed upon the leaves of the passion flower.
The species is found in the South from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

The Regal Fritillary. — This is the most magnificent of all the
fritillaries, having an expanse of from three and one-half to four
inches. Its front wings are copper color with dark borders, but its
hind wings are black with yellowish or light spots. Underneath,
the front wings are orange and the hind wings are a rich olive brown

228

NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [13:6— Sept., 1917

ornamented with nearly thirty large silvery white spots. While in
general it resembles the great spangled fritillary and the silver-spot,
the black hind wings distinguish it from these species.

The Great Spangled Fritillary
Expanse about three inches. Color orange (which fades to a
dull brown late in the season) marked with black, the wings
shading to brown next to the body. Undersides of the
wings of the Great Spangled at the left; of the Silver Spot
at the right.

The Great Spangled Fritillary and the Silver Spot Fritillary. —
These two are of the same size and marked very similarly. The
only way to distinguish the two species is to study the lower side
of the hind wings ; in the great spangled species there is a broad, buff
band inside the silver spots that border the wings ; it is one-fourth as
broad as the wing itself. This band is very much narrower in the
silver spot. The caterpillars of these species are velvety black and
spiny, and feed on the leaves of violets.

THE COMMON BUTTERFLIES

229

The Variegated Fritillary.

— This is another southern
species and it has the real
fritillary markings on the
upper sides of the wings;
there are no silver spots on
the lower sides of the wings
which are marbled with
brown and white. It has
awing expanse of two and
one-half inches. Its cater-
pillar is thorny and feeds
upon passion flower, mandrake, violet and some other plants.

The Silver Bordered Fritillary and the Meadow Fritillary. — These
are two little fritillaries which resemble each other very much, but

may be easily separated by the
fact that the silver bordered has
the silver spots on the lower side
of the hind wings, while the
meadow has not a butterfly dollar
on its wings anywhere. The cat er-
pillars of these species are small,
mottled green and spiny. They
feed upon violets.

THE CRESCENT SPOTS

The Silver Crescent and the Pearl
Crescent. — These are two little
butterflies which may be distin-
guished from other orange-yellow,
small butterflies because there is
so much of brown or black ugon
the wings that it is hard to tell
whether that or the orange is the
ground color. The lower sides
Silver Borderfd Fritillary of the wings are much paler than

above; Meadow Fritillary, below, above and are marked with vari-
Expanse, one and three-quarters .

inches. Color orange-yellow spot- oussnadesof yellow in most com-

ted with black The underside pHcated patterns. The cater-
of wings shows the meadow at

the right. pillars of these species are black

The Variegated Fritillary
The wings are copper red crossed near the
center with a paler band and the mark-
ings are blackish; no silver spots on
lower side of wings.

230

NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [13:6— Sept , 1917

marked with yellow or orange,
spiny, and feed on sunflowers,
asters and other composite plants.

The Baltimore. — Thisisanother
crescent spot, but is very strik-
ing in appearance. It is found
near swampy places. Its cater-
pillar is black and orange banded
and striped and spiny. The
caterpillars of one brood live
together like a happy family,

The Baltimore

Expanse two inches. Color black with
outer marginal row of reddish-orange
spots and two parallel rows of very
pale yellow spots.

Pearl Crescent,

Silver Crescent.

Expanse one and one-half inches.
Color orange-yellow with black
markings.

weaving leaves around them-
selves for protection; a queer
thing about them is that
during late summer the whole
brood suddenly stops eating
voluntarily and waits for win-
ter to pass, although sur-

rounded by plenty of food. The food is snakehead.

THE ANGLE WINGS

These butterflies are so called because the edges of their wings

look as if they were cut in
charp notches and scalloped
with a pair of scissors; they
are among our most interest-
ing and beautiful butterflies.

The American T ortoise Shell.
— This striking butterfly some-
times passes the winter as an
adult and sometimes as a
chrysalis. Its caterpillar is
black with greenish sides and
sprinkled with white raised

The American Tortoise Shell
Expanse two inches. Wings blackish
crossed by a broad band of orange
brown which shades to yellow on
the inner side.

THE COMMON BUTTERFLIES

231

spots; it is spiny. The caterpillars of the same brood live
together feeding on the lower sides of the leaves which they fasten
together making a protective abode. The food plant is nettle.

The Compton
Tortoise. — This
butterfly resem-
bles very much
the polygonias
even having the
‘ embroidered”
initial on the
lower side of the
hind wings.

However, it dif-
fers in one par-
ticular. The
hind margin of
the front wings is
straight and not

incurved. Its caterpillar is greenish in color more or less speckled
with lighter color. It has black, bristly spines and the caterpillars of
the same brood feed in a flock. The food plants are birch and willow.

The Mourning
Cloak. — This but-
terfly which is well
known in Europe is
very common here.
It winters as a but-
terfly and is the
earliest of all our
butterflies to ap-
pear in the spring.
Its caterpillar is
velvety black cov-

The Mourning Cloak ered with white

Expanse two and one-half to three and one-half . A A A

inches. Color purplish-brown appearing black raised dots, and a
when flying. The wings have a broad, yellow row of red spots
border sprinkled with brown and just inside the , ... . j r

border a row of blue or lavender spots. along the middle ot

the back. It has

rows of black spines. It feeds on elm, willow, poplar and other trees.

The Compton Tortoise

Expanse two and one-half inches, mottled with dark red
and ochre yellow, like the colors of a tortoise shell.
A white spot is on the front of each wing near the tip.
The hind wings on the lower side each bear a small
L-shaped silvery or white mark.

232

NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [13:6— Sept., 1917

The Buckeye. — This is a

southern butterfly that pushes

northward late in the season.

It has two eye spots on each

front and hind wing, a large

one and a small one. The

small one on the front wing is

“Boo!” often indistinct. Its general

The Buckeye . . , £

color is brown with a tew

copper red markings; there is diagonal yellow band across each

front wing. A very similar species is common on the Pacific Coast.

The caterpillar is dark gray with lengthwise yellow stripes and

spotted with yellow and orange. It is ornamented with branching

spines. It feeds upon gerardin, figworts, snapdragon and plantain.

THE THISTLE BUTTERFLIES

Three of the angle wings are caked the thistle butterflies because
they are particularly fond of the nectar of thistle blossoms, and
each one bears on the lower side of the wings a band of rich rose-
color, which well matches the color of the thistle flowers.

The Red Admiral. —

This is one of our most
striking and beautiful
butterflies. The wings
beneath are beautifully
mottled and the front
wings bear a diagonal
band of rich rose-red.

Its caterpiller is dull
yellow, mottled with
black with a yellow
stripe along the side;
it has many spines. It
feeds upon nettles and
hops.

The Painted Beauty and the Cosmopolite. — These two species
resemble each other very much ; each has the hind half of the front
wing colored rose-pink on the lower side ; on the hind wing of the
painted beauty are two eyespots while on the cosmopolite there are
five or six smaller ones in a row. The caterpillar of the painted

The Red Admiral

Expanse a little less than two and one-half
inches. Color purplish-black with white
spots near the tips of the front wings.
Orange-red band across front wings and
bordering middle part of hind wings.

THE COMMON BUTTERFLIES

233

beauty is velvety black with cross lines of yellow and with a row
of white spots on each side back of the middle. It has bristly

The Painted Beauty, above, The Cosmopolite, below,
showing under sides of wings at the right.

Expanse of wings about two and one-half inches.

spines; it feeds upon everlasting and allied plants. The cosmo-
polite caterpillar is mottled, greenish-yellow with black and yellow
stripes along the side. It has bristling yellow spines ; its food plants
are thistle, willow and everlasting. The cosmopolite has the
widest distribution of any of our butterfly species. It is found in
every part of the world except South America and the Arctic
regions.

THE POLYGONS

These are distinguished from the other butterflies not only by
the sharp notches and angles of the edges of the wings, but also by
having the hind margin of the front wing cut out in a graceful
curve. Each species has on the lower side of the hind wing near
the center an initial or punctuation mark wrought in silver, this
mark varying with the species. The flight of the polygons is very

234

NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [13:6— Sept., 1917

erratic ; they dash about making quick angles so that the eye cannot
follow them. While the upper sides of the wings are bright orange
red and quite striking, the lower sides of the wings are mottled in
dull colors so that they resemble dead leaves or grass. All one of
these butterflies has to do to become invisible when resting on the
ground, is to close its wings above its back, and it is then almost
impossible for the eye to detect it. The Violet Tip. —

This is the largest
of the polygons and
the most graceful
in form of all but-
terflies. It winters
as an adult. The
caterpillar is yel-
lowish-brown with
irregular spots and
marks of lighter
color. It has many
branching spines,
one pair being on
the top of the head.
It feeds on elm,
hop, nettle, linden
and hackberry.

The Hop Merchant. — This looks on the upper side like a dwarf
violet tip, for the margins of the wings are tinged with violet. It
hibernates as a butterfly
and is one of the earliest
that we see in the woods
in the spring. Its cater-
pillar is about an inch
long, dark brown or
greenish with blotches
and lines and adorned
with thorny spines one
pair of which is on the

head. It feeds on hops, The Hop Merchant

. mi Expanse two inches. Color bright orange-red

nettle and elm. 1 he with black spots. The borders of the
chrysalis is a beautiful wings dark brown shading off to violet at the
... , i -,i margin. The “initial” on the lower side

Object ornamented with of the hind wings is like a badly made G.

The Violet Tip

Expanse two and one-half to three inches. Color
rich orange red spotted with black. The margins
of the wings and tails violet color. The hind
wing bearing a large silver semicolon on the
lower side, shown at the right.

THE COMMON BUTTERFLIES

235

knobs that shine like the precious metals. There is a superstition
that if these knobs are golden the price of hops will be high; if
they are silver, the price will be low.

The Green Comma.— ^ This always hibernates as a butterfly. It
may be distinguished from the gray comma, which it very much
resembles, by the green tinge quite noticeable in the darker mark-
ings of the upper side of wing, and by the amount of olive green
and the very different pattern on the lower side of the wings, and a
quite different initial which is much like that of the hop merchant.
Its caterpillar is a little more than an inch long, reddish or yellowish
in color with a large patch of white on its back. Its branching
spines are light colored. It eats the leaves of black birch, willow,
alder, currant and gooseberry.

The Gray Comma. — This butterfly always hibernates as an adult
and appears early in the spring. It especially frequents orchards.

The Gray Comma

Expanse about two inches. Color orange-red with black
spots brownish borders to the wings. The under sides of
the wings are “pepper and salt” arranged in wavy lines.

The “initial” a delicate wide-angled L.

Its caterpillar attains the length of an inch and has a body yellow-
ish-brown marked with greenish-black. It has many branched
spines one pair being on tjie head. It feeds on currant, gooseberry,
and elm.

THE SOVEREIGNS

These butterflies are noted for the very interesting habits of the
caterpillar which are omitted here. The caterpillars when fully
grown are so covered with humps that they look most grotesque.
On the front end of the body is borne a pair of tiny tubercles that
look like pompons. The chrysalis has a projection which resem-
bles a Roman nose.

23G

NATURE-STUDY REVIEW

[13:6 — Sept., 1917

The Banded
Purple or White
Admiral. — This
beautiful and
striking butter-
fly is quite local
in its habits and
spends its whole
life near the
same spot. It
frequents shady
roads. Its cater-

pillar feeds upon
birch, poplar and
shadbush.

The Red-Spotted
Purple. — This is
not so common
in the North as
the banded pur-
ple. There is a
form which is
hybrid between
the two showing
the trace of the

The White Admiral or Banded Purple
Expanse about .three inches. Color velvety chooolate-
blaclc; the broad white band across the wings
distinguishes it from other species.

white band
across the
front wings,

The Red-Spotted Purple

Expanse about three inches. Upper surface of wings vel-
vety indigo-black tinged with blue or green iridescence.
The border rows of spots on the hind wings a light
iridescent blue. The wings on the undersides show
many red spots.

while the hind
wings are usu-
ally like those
of this species.
Its caterpillar

feeds upon plum, thomapple and others.

The Viceroy. — This butterfly has forsaken the dark uniform of
its family and has put on the dress of the monarch. This disguise
affords it protection from the birds because the monarch is very1
distasteful to them, and they have learned to avoid all butterflies
which look like it. The black band across the hind wings of the
viceroy distinguishes it readily from the monarch. It is also a

THE COMMON BUTTERFLIES

237

Photo by Dr. R. W, Shufeldt.

The Viceroy

Wings orange bordered with black in which is a row of white spots.
Veins black. Black band across hind wing.

238

NA T U RE-STUD Y RE VIE W [13 :6— Sept. , 1917

smaller butterfly. (See figure on page 237.) Its caterpillar feeds
upon willow and poplar.

THE EMPERORS

The Goatweed Emperor. — This handsome orange red butterfly

can be distin-
guished from all
others by the
gracefully ex-
tended tips of
the front wings
and the equally
striking points
on the hind
wings. It is a
middle western
and southern
species. Its cat-
erpillar is gray
It feeds upon goatweed.

The Goatweed Emperor

The wings are bright-orange margined with brown with
an irregular paler band just inside the brown margins.

and encrusted with little tubercles.

THE MEADOW BROWNS

These are brown butterflies which do not attract much attention
from the uninitiated, but are very much loved by any real student

of butterflies.

The Blue-eyed Grayling and
the Dull-eyed Grayling. — These
two species blend into each
other, the blue-eyed being the
southern form and the dull-
eyed the northern form. The
only difference between the
two species is that the dull-
eyed grayling lacks the broad
yellow band on the front wings,
but almost every grade be-
tween the two species may be
found. The caterpillar attains
the length of over one and one-
third inches. It is green in

The Blue-Eyed Grayling
Expanse two to two and one-half
inches. Color dull brown with broad
yellow bands crossing the front wings
outside the middle. In this band
are two black eye-spots, with little
blue centers; small dark eye-spots on
each hind wing.

THE COMMON BUTTERFLIES

239

color with yellowish stripes along each side. The body is covered
with down, otherwise smooth. The rear end is forked. It feeds
on grass.

The Eyed-brown. — This delicate fawn-colored butterfly repays
well a little closer attention. Each velvety brown spot which
ornaments the upper surface
of the wings has a white center
like a bull’s eye on the lower
surface. The caterpillar at-
tains the length of one and
one-fourth inches, is greenish
in color and striped lengthwise.

It is not only forked at the
rear end, but has a pair of red
horns at each end of the body; The Eyed-Brown

it hibernates when about Expanse about two inches. Color pale

mouse-brown with a row oi tour vel-
vety brown spots along the border of
the front wing and five or six smaller
spots on the hind wing.

half grown. It feeds on the coarser
grasses and sedges.

The Little Wood Satyr. — This is a
jolly little butterfly frequenting the
shade of thickets and groves. It is
single brooded and appears early in
the season. The caterpillar is pale
greenish brown and downy with
blackish lengthwise stripes and it
feeds upon grass.

TEE MILKWEED BUTTERFLIES

The Monarch. — This magnificent butterfly is a monarch indeed.
The birds will not touch it and so it is afraid of nothing. Its flight
is leisurely and extends over long distances. It does not winter
with us, but comes to us each year from the South. In the fall it
may be seen migrating back in flocks. Its caterpillar is banded
crosswise with narrow black and yellow stripes. At either end of
the body is a pair of whip-lash like organs ; it attains the length of
two inches. It feeds on milkweed; the chrysalis is plump and

Little Wood Satyr
Wings nearly uniform dark
brown. The small pupils of
the eye-spots often double.
Each eye-spot ringed with pale
yellow.

240

NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [13:6— Sept., 1917

A Monarch Caterpillar

The Queen. — This is a
Florida species. Its wings
are chocolate brown bordered
with black. The front wings are sprinkled with white dots inside
the margins. The viceroy in Florida imitates the queen in color.

comparatively smooth, of an
exquisite green color orna-
mented with dots of shining
gold. (See figure on first page.)

A Monarch Chrysalis

THE LONG-BEAKS

These butterflies are easily distinguished by their long beak-like
palpi which are from one-fourth to one-half as long as the body —

only two species are found in the
United States.

The Snout-butterfly. — This little
butterfly looks as if it had had its
front wing tips snipped off with
curved scissors. It sometimes oc-
curs in swarms but is usually rather
, The Snout-Butterfly rare. It haunts river banks and
orange patches and white spots, marshy places. Its caterpillar feeds

upon hackberry.

THE GOSSAMER WINGS

These are our smallest butterflies, few of them measuring more
than an inch across the expanded wings. They include the hair
streaks, coppers and blues.

THE COMMON BUTTERFLIES

241

THE HAIR STREAKS

These little butterflies are distinguished from others by the long
tail-like prolongations of the hind wings. They are usually dark
brown with delicate striped markings on the lower surface of the
wings; some species are brilliantly marked with metallic blue or
green. About fifty species occur in North America. A table for
determining the common species is given in How to Know the
Butterflies p. 217.

The Gray Hair Streak. — This frisky little brown butterfly has a
bright orange-spot on the hind wings and one or two white tipped
tails; it also has orange on the tip of its
antennae and its head. Its caterpillar is less
than a half an inch long and slug-shaped,
and is naked and reddish-brown. It feeds
upon the fruit and seeds of hop, hawthorne,
hound’s tongue and St. John’s wort.

The Banded Hair Streak. — This is our
commonest hair streak. It frequents open-
ings in the woods especially scrub oak clear-
ings ; though dull in color it has on the inside
at the tip of the hind wings a blue patch
with an orange patch on each side of it.

Its caterpillar is slug-shaped, half an inch
long, grass-green in color and feeds on oak,
hickory and butternut eating holes in the
leaves; it winters as a newly-hatched caterpillar.

THE COPPERS

These are distinguished from the other gossamer wings by their
orange-red and brown colors.

The Wanderer. — This lovely little butterfly is usually found near
alders. Its caterpillar is rather wide in the middle and pointed at
each end, about one-half inch in length; its color is brown marked
with brownish stripes. It differs from the caterpillars of other
butterflies in that it is not vegetarian, but lives instead, upon the
woolly plant-lice which infest the alder and thus is a very good
friend to this tree. For figure see next page.

The American Copper. — These jolly midgets flit about over
lawns almost always playing with each other and sometimes even
daring to play with us as we cross their path. The caterpillar is

The Banded Hair-

streak

Expanse one and one-
fifth inches. Color
dark brown or black-
ish; lower side of the
wings grayish with
rows of black spots
margined with white.
Blue spot with orange
spot on each side of
it on the hind angle
of the lower wing.

242 NAT. URE-STUDY REVIEW [13:6— Sept., 1917

slug-shaped, a half an inch long, dull rosy-red in color; it feeds
on sorrel.

The Wanderer

Expanse a little over an inch. Color
dark brown with large irregular
orange-yellow patch in the central
part of the fore wing and a similar
patch on the outer half of the hind
wing.

The American Copper
Expanse about an inch. Color of
front wings red with black spots
and borders; hind wings coppery-
brown with broad orange-red
band on the outer margins.

THE BLUES

The Spring Azure. — This bit of a blue butterfly comes to us early
in the spring and seems like a promise of blue skies and sunshine.
Its caterpillar is two-fifths of an inch in length, slug-shaped, whitish

bordered more or less with black.

with dark brown head. It lives on the flowers of dogwood, sumac,
spiraea and others. A remarkable thing about the caterpillar is
that it bears an organ on the back which exudes honeydew; ants
feed upon this and protect the caterpillar.

THE SKIPPERS

There is a family of insects usually included with the butterflies
called Skippers. These are usually small dark brown or dull yellow
and may be distinguished from the butterflies by the fact that the
antennae are either hooked at the tips or bent at an angle. The
character which distinguishes butterflies from moths most readily
is that the butterflies always have antennae which are enlarged at or
toward the tips. Knobbed antennae they are called; while the
antennae of moths may be straight and simple or feather-like. The

THE COMMON BUTTERFLIES

243

antennae of the Skippers are enlarged like those of the butterflies

toward the tip, but the
knob is very bent or
hooked. The Skippers
have heavy bodies and are
very agile in flight. The
caterpillars of the Skippers
are absurd looking crea-
tures, the neck being very

The Silver Spotted Skipper Above the Nest of its Caterpillar
Color chocolate brown — the front wings marked with yellow and the
lower wings marked with white on under side. Its caterpillar forms
a nest by fastening together the leaflets of locust leaves.

small and the head very large. They usually live concealed in a
folded leaf or in a nest made of a few leaves fastened together.
There are about two hundred species of Skippers in America

north of Mexico and they are very difficult to determine except in
the case of some of the larger and well marked species. In one
sub-family which are largely of tawny or orange brown color,
there is an oblique dark patch across the front wing. To another
sub-family belong most of the blackish or dark brown or dusky
winged Skippers often dotted with white or lighter yellow and which
have a little fold along near the front border of the front wing.

A male skipper with a
diagonal “brand”
across the front wings.
Many of these are
coppery yellow and
brown in color.

The main thing for
the beginner in the
study of butterflies
to achieve is to
know a Skipper when
he sees it and to
be able to say at
once, ‘ this is a skip-
per and not a butter-
fly.”

W

A ma'e skipper with a
fold near the front
margin of the wing.
Most of the species
are dark brown marked
with white or translu-
cent angular spots.

COLOR KEY TO THE COMMON BUTTERFLIES

Based upon a Laboratory Exercise in Nature-Study at Cornell University
By Helen M. Hess

A. Large butterflies — strikingly black and yellow. Hind wings
with tails.

B. Wings yellow, margined with black with four black bars
across the front wing. Expanse 3-3^ in.

Tiger Swallowtail— Turnus form
BB. Wings black above, yellow beneath with broad diagonal
band of yellow from tip of front wing across base of hind
wing. A row of striking yellow sub-marginal spots
across hind wings and merging into diagonal band on
fore wing. Wing expanse 4-5 in. Giant Swallowtail.
BBB. Wings black, with double row of yellow marginal spots on
front wing, the inner row making a yellow band across
the hind wing. Wing expanse 2^-3 in.

Black Swallowtail , male

AA. Butterflies mostly black. Wing expanse 2-3^ in.

B . Hind wings with tails.

C. Front wings black with pale spots near outer margin in

single row and often rather inconspicuous.

D. Hind wings with blue spots or green inside the outer
row of yellow spots.

1 . Often six crescent shaped spots along the outside

of the hind wing. The lower and especially
upper one orange. The others yellowish.

Tiger Swallowtail — Glaucus form.

2. The pale marginal spots along outer margin of

hind wing all the same color. An orange spot
at the middle of front margin and two orange
spots near inner angle of hind wing.
Green-clouded Swallowtail, female.

DD. The hind wings greenish and with only one orange
spot at inner angle of hind wing.

Green-clouded Swallowtail , male.
DDD. Hind wings metallic dark blue. No orange spots on
upper side. On the lower side the marginal row of
spots orange below, pale above.

Blue Swallowtail.

244

hess] COLOR KEY TO THE COMMON BUTTERFLIES

245

CC. Front wings with double row of yellow spots.

1. Hind wing with yellow band across the middle.

Black Swallowtail , male.

2. Hind wing with a row of blue spots between the

outer and inner row of yellow spots.

Black Swallowtail, female.

BB. Hind wings without tails.

C. Wings with white markings.

1. With wide white band across the middle of both

wings.

Banded Purple or White Admiral.

2. With band across only the front wings.

The Hybrid Purple.

3. Diagonal red band across front wings which are

spotted with white near tips. Orange red
border to hind wings.

Red Admiral.

4. Wings bordered with orange yellow spots and

outer third checkered with cream white.
Rather small.

The Baltimore.

5. Small blackish butterflies, peppered with white,

with tips of antennae bent. Belong to the
family of

Skippers.

CC. Wings with no white markings.

1. Hind wings with border of three rows of blue or

greenish spots, and underneath a border of
seven orange spots just within a double row of
blue or green spots'.

The Red-spotted Purple.

2. Wings with brownish tinge with broad border of

pale yellow. Just inside the border a row of
blue or purplish spots.

The Mourning Cloak.

AAA. Butterflies with general color of copper red or brick color.

B. Large, with wing expanse of 2 to 4 inches.

C. Veins completely outlined with black.

1. With no transverse black band across hind wing.

The Monarch.

246

NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [13:6— Sept., 1917

2 . With transverse black band across hind wing.

The Viceroy.

CC. Veins outlined with black near outer border. Large
silvery spots on underside of hind wing.

The Gulf Fritillary.

CCC. Veins not outlined in black. Wings coppery, checkered
and spotted with black. Inner half of wings dark
brown . N o white markings .

D. Under sides of hind wings with large silver spots.

1 . A broad buff band inside the border of silver spots

on lower side of hind wing.

The Great Spangled Fritillary.

2. A narrow buff band inside the outer row of silver

spots on border of under surface of hind wing.
The band not so wide as the silver spots in
border.

The Silver-spot Fritillary.

DD. Under side of the wings marbled in yellowish and
browns.

The Variegated Fritillary.

CCCC. Front wings coppery, checkered with black. Hind
wings black with lighter spots. Very large butterfly.
Expanse 4 inches. The front yrings orange beneath,
the hind wings olive brown with about thirty large
silvery white spots.

The Regal Fritillary.

CCCCC. Orange red with tips of front wings prolonged with
curved points and with short tail on hind wing.

1. Narrow margin of brown borders the wings. A

small dark spot in middle of margin of front
wing. Goatwecd Emperor , male.

2 . Broad border of brown with paler orange inside it,

and brown spots inside this pale band.

Goatweed Emperor , female.

CCCCCC. Copper red and black butterflies with tips of front
wings blackish, spotted with white.

D. Hind half of lower side of front wings rose color.

1. Lower side of hind wing showing two eye-spots
within the border.

The Painted Beauty.

hess] COLOR KEY TO THE COMMON BUTTERFLIES

247

2. Lower side of hind wing showing four eye-spots
. within the border.

The Cosmopolitan.

DD. Copper red, diagonal band across front wings,
which is vivid rose red below; red border to
hind wing. Red Admiral.

BB. Smallish copper red or copper yellow and black butter-
flies. Wing expanse from C/2 to 1^4 inches.

C. Copper red checkered with black above. Edges of
wings not notched.

1. Lower side of hind wing with silver spots.

Silver-bordered Fritillary.

2. Lower side of wings with no silver spots.

Meadow Fritillary.

CC. Orange with black border and many black irregular
markings. Margin of wings not notched. Lower
side of wings marbled with yellows and browns.

1. A distinct narrow yellow line bordering lower

sides of wings.

The Silver Crescent.

2. No distinct yellow line bordering lower sides of

wings. The Pearl Crescent.

CCC. Copper red and black butterflies. The edges of the
wings notched and under sides of wings marbled
browns of different shades.

D. With a white “initial” at center of lower side of hind
wing.

1. The initial of two silvery marks, a crescent
white line and a dot. Wings above bordered
with lavender

The Violet Tip.

2. The outer third of the lower surface of the
wings variegated with olive green. The
initial a C or a G.

The Green Comma.

3. Outer third of the lower surface of the wings
variegated with wood brown. The initial
also a C or a G.

The Hop Merchant.

248

NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [13:6— Sept., 1917

4. The marbled surface of the under side of the
wings crossed by many fine ashen lines. The
initial an L. The Gray Comma.

DD. With no initial on hind wings.

1 . Wings blackish with a broad oranged red band
marking the outer half of both wings.

The American Tortoise Shell.

BBB. Very small copper red or coppery yellow butterflies, not
expanding over one inch.

1. Front wings copper red, spotted with black and
outer margin blackish. Hind wings dark with bright
copper outer border.

American Copper.

2 . Front wings dark brown with large irregular orange

yellow patch over the middle. The hind wings
brown with orange yellow patch extending for-
ward from hind margin. The Wanderer.

A AAA. White butterflies.

B . With front wings tipped with black.

1. With two spots on front wing.

Cabbage Butterfly , female.

2. With one spot on front wing.

Cabbage Butterfly , male.

3 . With black blotch at middle of margin of front wing.

Olympia Orange Tip.

BB. With front wings prolonged at tip to a hook.

1. Wings tipped with orange.

Falcate Orange Tip, male.

2. Front wings bordered with delicate black spots.

Falcate Orange Tip, female.

A A AAA. Butterflies conspicuously yellow.

B. With tails to the hind wings.

1 . Large, with black border and four black bars extend-
ing back from front margin of front wing.

Tiger Swallowtail, Turnus form.

BB. Hind wings without tails. Expanse 2 inches or less.

C. With black border on outer margin of wings.

D. Lemon yellow.

1. With outer black border unbroken.

Roadside male.

hess] COLOR KEY TO THE COMMON BUTTERFLIES

249

2. With black border on front wing broken with

yellow spots. Roadside female.

3 . With deep black border outlining the profile of a

head, and with black base to front wing.

The Dog's Head.

4. With outer border unbroken. A small butterfly

only one inch in expanse.

Little Sulphur.

DD. Orange yellow butterflies.

1 . The black border unbroken and with oval spot at

center of front wing near margin.

Orange Sulphur.

2. Black border unbroken in male but fading out on

the hind portion of the hind wings in the female.
Spot at middle of front wing, near margin a
mere line.

The Sleepy Yellow.

CC. Lemon yellow with no solid black border. Large butter-
fly 2}4 inches in expanse.

1. With black spots bordering the wings and with

round spot at the front middle of front wing.

Cloudless Sulphur , female.

2 . With no black spots of any kind, just pure yellow.

Cloudless Sulphur , male.

AAA AAA . Butterflies conspicuously brown or gray.

B. Rather large with an expanse of 2 to 2% inches, with no
tails on hind wings.

C. With one large eye-spot and one very small one on front
wings, and with one large and one small eye-spot on
hind wings.

1 . Diagonal band of yellow across tips of front wing
and two copper red bars extending back from
the margin of front wing. Copper red near
margin of hind wing.

The Buckeye.

CC. With two equal sized eye-spots on front wings.
Expanse 2 inches.

1. With the eye spots on the front wing set in a band
of yellow.

The Blue Eyed Grayling.

NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [13:6— Sept., 1917

2. With no band of yellow surrounding eye-spots on
front wing.

Dull Eyed Grayling.

3. The eye-spots on front wing each surrounded by
yellow ring or set in yellow patch.

Hybrid Grayling.

With two equal spots on front wing. Expanse D/i
inches. With two eye-spots on hind wings and some-
times a smaller one.

Little Wood Satyr.

With four small eye-spots in a row on front wings.
With five small eye-spots along margin of hind wing.

The Eyed Brown.

BB. Small butterflies with thread-like tails or with short pro-
jections on hind wings.

The Hair Streaks.

BBB. Small butterflies without projections on hind wings.
With rather heavy bodies and antennas bent at the tip.

The Skippers.

AAAAAAA. Butterflies blue or marked conspicuously with blue.
B. Small butterflies mostly blue.

C. Without tails to hind wings.

1. Lower sides of wings pale ash gray. Expanse
about one inch. The Spring Azure.

CC. With tail-like prolongation to hind wings.

Hair Streaks.

B B . Large black butterflies without tails to hind wings , marked
with double row of blue spots near border of hind wings.

The Banded Purple.

BBB. Large butterflies with tails to hind wings.

1. Black butterflies, sheen on hind wings blue or

greenish blue. Blue Swallowtail.

Green-clouded Swallowtail .

2 . Black butterflies with blue spots on hind wings.

Glaucus form of Tiger Swallowtail.
Black Swallowtail , female.

BBBB. Black butterfly with slight tail like prolongation on
hind wings. With yellow border and row of blue
spots inside of it.

cca

cccc.

Mourning Cloak.

Swallowtails

Pierids

Check list
of Fifty-
Common
Butterflies

Nymphs

" Tiger
Black
Zebra
Giant

Green-clouded

Blue

" Whites Cabbage
Orange tips Falcate

u Yellows

Roadside
Sleepy Yellow
Dog’s Head
Little Sulphur
Orange Sulphur
Cloudless Sulphur

Fritillaries

- Great Spangled
Silver spot
Regal

Gulf

Variegated

Meadow

- Silver-bordered

Crescent

Spots

Angle-

wings

r Pearl
Silver
u Baltimore

Mourning Cloak
American Tortoise
Compton Tortoise
Buckeye

I Red Admiral

Thistle

Butterflies

Painted Beauty
Cosmopolite

{Violet Tip
Hop Merchant
Gray Comma
Green Comma

Meadow

Browns

The Milkweed
Long Beaks

The Gossamer
Wings

{Banded purple
Hybrid purple
Red-Spotted purple
Viceroy

- Emperors j Goatweed Emperor

{Blue-eyed Grayling
Dull-eyed Grayling
Eyed Brown
Little Wood Satyr
/ Monarch
1 Queen

{ The Snout Butterfly

/ Gray Hair Streak
Hair Streaks \ Banded Hair Streak

W- | America? Copper

[ Blues ^ Spring Azure

Photo by Dr. R. W. Shufeldt

Two Monarch Butterflies on Goldenrod

The Mourning Cloak caterpillars are sociable even when
changing to chrysalids

HOW TO KNOW
THE BUTTERFLIES

A Manual of the Butterflies of the Eastern United States, by

JOHN HENRY COMSTOCK

Emeritus Professor of Entomology, Cornell University
AND

ANNA BOTSFORD COMSTOCK

Assistant Professor of Nature Study, Cornell University

This work contains descriptions of 152 species and varieties
of butterflies. This includes all of the species and their named
varieties found in the eastern half of the United States ex-
cepting a few extremely rare forms.

There are 45 plates with 312 figures showing the insects in
their natural colors and 49 figures in the text.

The work is written in popular form without being super-
ficial, and will serve as a Baedeker among Butterflies to the
casual observer or the close student of this most pictur-
esque phase of nature.

The Comstock Publishing Company

Ithaca, New York

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flowers, trees and sky. The leading and most valuable book on
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Complete in one volume, $3.50; postpaid, $3.90. Complete

in two volumes, $4.50; postpaid $4.95

Comstock’s THE PET BOOK

A book full of unique nature-lore. Frontispiece in colour by
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binding, $2.00; postpaid $2.15

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A new sort of book that is putting new life into a very old subject.

9th edition ready $2.00

The Nature Notebook Series

Edited by ANNA BOTSFORD COMSTOCK
Assistant Professor of Nature Study, Cornell University

BIRD NOTES No. 1 (
BIRD NOTES No. 2 \

A. B. Comstock

With outline drawings of birds by Louis Agassiz Fuertes on watercolor paper

TREE NOTES - - - - - - -A. B. Comstock

PLANT NOTES - - - - - A. B. Comstock

INSECT NOTES - - - ; - J. G. Needham

With outline drawings of 60 insects on watercolor paper

FISH NOTES - - - - - G. C. Embody

With outline drawings of 50 common fishes on watercolor paper

COMMON ANIMAL NOTES - - - - A. B. Comstock

With outline drawings of 30 common animals by Louis Agassiz Fuertes

Pocket size, ranging from 123 to 150 pages, 4% x 7 inches. Price 30c each.
Set of seven, $2.00 Special prices in quantity. Sold assorted as desired.