THE BUTTERFLY BOOK by Donald and...

THE BUTTERFLY BOOK by Donald and Lillian Stokes & Ernest Williams (Little, Brown: $10.95, illustrated). About 700 species of butterflies live in North America, and this attractive book explains how planting a “butterfly garden” can lure some of the more spectacular specimens to suburban yards. Sunny beds of certain flowers will attract butterflies, either to feed on the nectar they produce or to lay eggs on the stems and leaves. Some of the most common plants in Southern California gardens, including Lantana, Coreopsis and Pentas, turn out to be prime butterfly real estate. The authors stress that watching and photographing these delicate insects is ultimately more rewarding than killing and mounting them, and the splendid color photos support their argument. An excellent gift for anyone who enjoys watching the “fleeting flutter-by of butterfly and moth.”