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a subfamily (Najades) of butterflies including the purples, the fritillaries, the peacock butterfly, etc.; -- called also naiad.

tropical orchidaceous plants, the flower of one species of which (O. Papilio) resembles a butterfly.

ors; as, the painted turtle; painted bunting. Painted beauty (Zoöl.), a handsome American butterfly (Vanessa Huntera), having a variety of bright colors, -- Painted cup (Bot.), any plant of an American genus of herbs (Castilleia) in which the bracts are usually bright-colored and more showy than the flowers. Castilleia…

Resembling the butterfly.

gans situated at the bases of the anterior wings of lepidopterous insects. See Illust. of Butterfly.

In common usage, the species in general or collectively; a peafowl. Peacock butterfly (Zoöl.), a handsome European butterfly (Hamadryas Io) having ocelli like those of peacock. -- Peacock fish (Zoöl.), the European blue-striped wrasse (Labrus variegatus); -- so called on account of its brilliant colors. Called also co…

A handsome American butterfly (Euphydryas, or Melitæa, Phaëton). The upper side of the wings is black, with orange-red spots and marginal crescents, and several rows of cream-colored spots; -- called also Baltimore.

A South American butterfly (Ithonia phono) having nearly transparent wings.

Any butterfly of the genus Pieris and related genera. See Cabbage butterfly, under Cabbage.

her diseases. (b) The plant itself, which has deep orange-colored flowers; -- called also butterfly weed.

A word variously explained as "a little puppet," "a little doll," or "a young butterfly." Cf. Popet. [Obs.] So gay a popelote, so sweet a wench. Chaucer.

An American butterfly (Polygonia, or Vanessa, Progne). It is orange and black above, grayish beneath, with an L-shaped silver mark on the hind wings. Called also gray comma.

The first or anterior segment of the thorax in insects. See Illusts. of Butterfly and Coleoptera.

led eagle ray (Stoasodon nàrinari) of the Southern United States and the West Indies. -- Butterfly ray, a short-tailed American sting ray (Pteroplatea Maclura), having very broad pectoral fins. -- Devil ray. See Sea Devil. -- Eagle ray, any large ray of the family Myliobatidæ, or Ætobatidæ. The common European speci…

Any butterfly of the tribe Nymphalidi, or genus Basilarchia, as the ursula and the viceroy.

ndise and cotton, sold for immediate delivery. [Broker's Cant] Crescent spot (Zoöl.), any butterfly of the family Melitæidæ having crescent-shaped white spots along the margins of the red or brown wings. -- Spot lens (Microscopy), a condensing lens in which the light is confined to an annular pencil by means of a smal…

eaves and pretty blossoms, appearing in springtime. (b) (Zoöl.) A small, elegant American butterfly (Erora læta) which appears in spring. The hind wings of the male are brown, bordered with deep blue; those of the female are mostly blue. -- Spring bed, a mattress, under bed, or bed bottom, in which springs, as of meta…

rinæ; as, the clouded sulphur (Eurymus, or Colias, philodice), which is the common yellow butterfly of the Eastern United States. Amorphous sulphur (Chem.), an elastic variety of sulphur of a resinous appearance, obtained by pouring melted sulphur into water. On standing, it passes back into a brittle crystalline modif…

A small American butterfly (Phycoides tharos) having the upper surface of the wings variegated with orange and black, the outer margins black with small white crescents; -- called also pearl crescent.

account of its feeding on the seeds of thistles. See Illust. under Goldfinch. -- Thistle butterfly (Zoöl.), a handsomely colored American butterfly (Vanessa cardui) whose larva feeds upon thistles; -- called also painted lady. -- Thistle cock (Zoöl.), the corn bunting (Emberiza militaria). [Prov. Eng.] -- Thistle cro…