The Butterfly Book: A Popular Guide to a Knowledge of the Butterflies of North AmericaHolland, W. J. (William Jacob)
Science
The Butterfly Book: A Popular Guide to a Knowledge of the Butterflies of North America
Holland, W. J. (William Jacob)
Butterflies -- North America
(THE BLUES, THE COPPERS, THE HAIR-STREAKS)
SUBFAMILY LYCÆNINÆ
"Mark, while he moves amid the sunny beam,
O'er his soft wings the varying lusters gleam.
Launched into air, on purple plumes he soars,
Gay nature's face with wanton glance explores;
Proud of his varying beauties, wings his way,
And spoils the fairest flowers, himself more fair than they."
_Quoted as from Haworth by Scudder._
_Butterfly._--Small, in both sexes having all feet adapted to walking.
There is exceeding diversity of form in the various genera composing
this family. Many of the genera are characterized by the brilliant blue
on the upper side of the wings; in other genera shades of coppery-red
predominate. The hair-streaks frequently have the hind wings adorned
with one or more slender, elongated tails. In Africa and in Asia there
are numerous genera which strongly mimic protected insects belonging to
the Acræinæ.
_Egg._--The eggs are for the most part flattened or turban-shaped,
curiously and beautifully adorned with ridges, minute eminences, and
reticulations. Some of them under the microscope strongly resemble the
shells of "sea-biscuits" with the rays removed (see p. 4, Fig. 7).
_Caterpillar._--The caterpillars are for the most part slug-shaped,
flattened. They are vegetable feeders, save the larvæ of two or three
genera, which are aphidivorous, feeding upon mealy bugs or plant-lice.
_Chrysalis._--The chrysalids are short, compressed, attached at the anal
extremity, with a girdle or cincture about the middle, closely fastened
to the surface upon which pupation takes place.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account