358 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



The Lepidoptera, which are most voracious feeders in the 

 larval state, when they have reached the imago state indulge 

 only in an occasional sip of honey by way of refreshment. For a 

 supply of honey they have two natural sources — 



(1) Flowers — the principal source. 



(2) An exudation of certain Aphides, particularly of species 



belonging to the genus Lachnus, known as "Honey- 

 dew." 

 In supplying insects with honey, flowers are supposed to demand 

 of them certain services ; but, so far, no one has ventured to 

 suggest that the Aphis also asks a quid pro quo. The plant-lice 

 are the most unselfish of creatures. Without recompense, they 

 provide sweets for Ants, Wasps, Moths, Flies, and even Beetles. 



A taste for sweets in any shape or form we can understand, 

 but many species are attracted by things which we can hardly 

 call sweet, among them being the berries of the Yew, the resinous 

 exudations of various conifers, and putrid flesh. This last 

 degraded taste has been shown by certain species of that magnifi- 

 cent family of Butterflies, the Nymphalidae — including the only 

 British representative, Apatura iris, Linn. But when we have 

 counted up the species partaking of all these, we find that a very 

 large proportion of the order remains unaccounted for. These 

 species seem in the imago state to require no nutriment whatever, 

 living on the strength they have stored up during their period of 

 youthful voracity. 



Let us then take the great divisions of the British Lepidoptera, 

 and tabulate them according as they do or do not visit plants for 

 their juices, using the old classification as most convenient. 



ORDER LEPIDOPTERA. 



Flower-frequenting. Non-Flower-frequenting. 



Bliopolocera (Butterflies). Bomhyces (Silk-spinners), except 



Thyatira hatis, Linn. 



Sphingidce (Hawk-moths, etc.) Geometridce (Loopers), except 



Larentia, Eupethecia, Anti- 

 clea, lodis, Cidaria, etC; 



Roctuoi (Night-hawks). Pyralididce, except Pionea, 



Pteropkori. 



Scopula. 



