The butterflies of the British Isles / by Richard South.

  • South, Richard.
Date:
1906
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The butterflies of the British Isles / by Richard South. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    who may desire information on this subject are referred to Sharp’s “ Insects,” Part I., in the “ Cambridge Natural History,' where also will be found much interesting and instructive matter connected with the caterpillar and chrysalis, to which stages only brief reference can here be made. The Caterpillar. The second stage is that of the caterpillar, and in some species, such as the Red Admiral, this is of very short duration, a few weeks only, whilst in others, as for example the Small Blue, it usually lasts for many months. There is considerable diversity both in the shape and, where it is present, in the hairy or spiny clothing (armature) of caterpillars. All, however, ate alike in one respect, that is the body is divided into thirteen more or less well-defined rings (segments), which together with the head make up fourteen divisions. In referring to these body-rings, the first three nearest the head, each of which is furnished with, a pair of true legs (thoracic legs'), are called the thoracic segments, as they correspond to the thorax of the perfect butterfly. The remaining ten rings are the abdominal segments ; the last two are not always easily separable one from the other, and so for all practical purposes they may be con- sidered only nine in number. These nine rings, then, coi 1 espond to the abdomen of the future butterfly. 1 he third to sixth of this series have each a pair of false legs {prolegs), and theie is also a pair on the last ring; the latter are the anal claspers. The warts {tubercles) are the bases of hairs and spines, and are to be seen in most butterfly caterpillars, but they geneially require a lens to bring them clearly into view, lhese waits aie usually arranged in two rows on the back {dorsal sc? tes) and three rows on each side {lateral series). All the various parts referred to, or to be presently mentioned, may be seen in Fig. i, which also shows a peculiarity that is