30 ZOOLOGY 



moths, of which we have three species. These moths fly 

 early in May, and lay their eggs on woollen cloth, furs, or 

 feathers, upon which the larvse feed. 



This review of the Lepidoptera shows us that, on the 

 whole, despite their beauty, they are great enemies of 

 agriculture, since most of them feed on vegetable prod- 

 ucts. Not only do we in this country have an abundance 

 of native forms, but several exotic species have been im- 

 ported; and being thus removed from their natural enemies, 

 their natural fecundity has been unchecked, with the result 

 that they have brought great devastation upon vast agri- 

 cultural districts. The earnest attempts of a state to keep 

 down for a while an introduced pest, even at great expense, 

 is commendable. 



The Hymenoptera l include bees, wasps, ants, and certain 

 less well-known insects. They all have four similar mem- 

 braneous wings as the Lepidoptera do ; but unlike the 

 Lepidoptera, their wings are not covered with scales, but 

 are transparent. The mouth parts are formed for biting or 

 for sucking, but the proboscis is not so long that it rolls up 

 as in Lepidoptera. 



The Hymenoptera belong to one or the other of two 

 groups, the stinging Hymenoptera, in which the female 

 is provided with a sting, and the boring Hymenoptera, 

 which are provided with an ovipositor, or long tube, by 

 which eggs can be placed at some distance below the sur- 

 face. To the first division belong the bees, wasps, and 

 hornets, certain digging or boring wasps, and the ants. 

 To the second division belong certain species,- -as, for 

 example, the ichneumon flies,- -which are parasitic on 



1 v/j.r)v, skin, membrane ; Trrepov, wing. 



