LEPIDOPTERA. 



2O I 



In the flight of insects it is important that the two wings of each 

 side should act together, and we find that this is secured in most 

 orders by uniting them in some way. In the Lepidoptera two dis- 

 tinct methods are employed ; in some it is done by means of a. jugum, 

 in others by means of a frenulum or its substitute. As neither the 

 jugum nor the frenulum could be derived from the other, we infer 

 that the primitive Lepidoptera possessed neither of these organs, but 

 had wings that were quite distinct from each other. In the course of 

 time there was developed in some of the descendants of these primi- 

 tive forms a jugum ; while in others there was developed a frenulum. 

 Of course in each case the development was a gradual one, extending 

 through many generations. Thus the frenulum at first was probably 

 merely a bunch of hairs like 

 those elsewhere on the wings; 

 but these became stiffer and 

 stiffer in succeeding genera- 

 tions. 



The descendants of those 

 ancient Lepidoptera in which a 

 jugum was developed constitute 



the suborder Jugattz ; while the 



descendants of those in which 



a frenulum was developed con- 

 stitute the suborder Frenatce. 

 We know but little of the 



Jugatae, as nearly all of them 



have perished. There remain 



only two small families, the 



Hepialidae and the Microptery- 



gidee. But these families are 



very widely separated, and hence 



it is safe to assume that they are 



the remnants of what was in 



past times a large fauna. 



In the Frenatae, however, FlG 84I ._ WinRS of Anaaandria . 



there exist to-day many families, 



each exhibiting its own methods of specialization. 



In some of these families the frenulum has been preserved and 



perfected to a greater or less extent. But in others a curious change 



has taken place. 



It is obvious '.hat if the two wings of each side overlap to a great 



extent, their acting together will be assured by this fact. And this is 



