Ford - Butterflies Collins New Naturalist Library Series, Book 1

THERE are many books on British butterflies but none on their general biology. A few authors have indeed summarized certain aspects of recent research upon insects as a whole, yet it remains true that no book exists which treats of the varied phenomena to be encountered in studying the butterflies of our islands, nor is there one which uses them as a theme upon which to base discussions of the many remarkable problems which they present. This gap in the literature I have now attempted to fill.

It has always appeared to me that evolution is the key-note of biological study and research; consequently, while as far as possible avoiding over-emphasis, I have allowed that point of view somewhat to influence the construction of this book. Taking a variety of problems, relating to structure, the senses, classification, habits, distribution, means of dispersal, and genetics, I have, as it were, adjusted them so as to converge upon the last three chapters which are all concerned, directly or indirectly, with evolution. Furthermore, deeply impressed as I am with the importance of the past in interpreting the present, the historical setting of a subject has a value which, so it seems to me, is sometimes under-estimated, at least in science. Thus I have begun this book with a recent history, that of British butterfly collecting, and ended it with a remote one, that of the origin of our butterfly fauna; a subject which it only becomes possible to discuss after building up biological arguments and data throughout the intervening chapters.

I wish to draw attention to certain other features of this work. There are numbers of excellent books describing the adult and early stages of British butterflies, and giving lists of their times of appearance, food-plants, and localities. It has not been my intention to add to these, for to supply such information yet again would be totally unnecessary and a disastrous waste of valuable space. In the Bibliography I have, however, indicated suitable works of reference where such information can be obtained. Moreover, I have arranged that every species shall be figured in colour in this book, where each illustrates some general principle, so that their identification from the Plates in it should present no great difficulty. Indeed it may fairly be claimed that the illustrations are on a scale never before attempted in this subject. They make it possible to contrast specimens of many species from different parts of Britain, and these provide examples of geographical races and sub-species. Varieties of genetic interest, and the results of temperature experiments, are also shown; while the chapter on the history of collecting is illustrated with a set of famous specimens, each of which has been known by repute to generations of collectors, though few may have had the opportunity of seeing them. All of these Plates are in colour and, in addition, the colour-photographs of living specimens in surroundings natural to them are a novel, and I hope valuable, feature. These have been specially taken for this book by Mr. S. Beaufoy, and I believe they will be judged a remarkable achievement.

The black-and-white Plates are also upon entirely new lines. They show the early stages of all the principal families, and of many smaller groups, indicating distinctions used in classification; also the process of pupation and emergence from the chrysalis. Furthermore, they include illustrations of a selection of protective devices and habits, and photomicrographs of the eye and of the developing wings during the larval and pupal periods. I have, in addition, reproduced photographs of typical and famous localitites. Those who have never had the opportunity of visiting Wicken Fen or Lulworth Cove, or of seeing the haunt of the Large Blue or the Mountain Ringlet, will probably be interested in the pictures of these, and of some other, celebrated habitats.

I have written this book in the hope that it may be useful to scientific entomologists and biologists in general but, in addition, I have especially kept before my mind the needs of butterfly collectors and of all those who love the country. Perhaps it may increase their pleasure by widening the scope of their interests. Many would, no doubt, wish to go no further than this, for there must be a large number of collectors and naturalists who have no intention of becoming amateur scientists. Indeed I should not wish all of them to do so; but I hope that some of them may, for they would add to their enjoyment. Accordingly, I have pointed out numerous interesting lines of experiment and observation which could be undertaken by anyone using the simplest means. Nevertheless, if successfully carried out, the information so obtained would be of genuine scientific value.