80 



EVENINGS AT THE MICROSCOPE. 



marked "with longitudinal lines, very minute and close, 

 but they mostly bear a central band, and sometimes a 

 marginal one on each side, of spots set in sinuous lines 

 like the bands on a mackerel's back ; these are probably 

 composed of pigment-granules. 



These from the pretty Six-spot Burnet Hawk-moth, are 

 nearly opaque, especially those from the red parts of the 

 wings, which have a rich ruddy glow by transmitted light- 

 They are narrow in shape, tapering gradually forward from 

 the foot-stalk, and terminate mostly in two blunt points. 

 The ribs are coarse for the size of the scales, and the de- 

 pressed spaces are marked with irregular pigment grains. 

 The hairs with which the bodies of Moths are invested 

 are essentially of the same character as the scales which 

 clothe their wings. Here are examples from the glowing- 

 sides of the abdomen of that richly coloured insect, the 



Cream-spot Tiger-moth (Arctia villica). 

 You see they are simple scales, drawn 

 out to an inordinate length and great 

 tenuity; each has its quill-like foot- 

 stalk, and we may trace on some of 

 them the ribs and transverse dotting, 

 while here we see all intermediate 

 stages between the slenderest hair and 

 the broadly ovate, bluntly pointed, 

 scales from the wings. 



You are familiar of course with the 

 brilliant little Blue Butterfly (Polyom- 

 matus Alexis), which dances and glit- 

 ters in the sunshine on waste places in 

 June. Among the scales of ordinary 

 form which clothe the lovely little 

 wings will occur one here and there of 

 battledore scale of a different shape from the rest. Here 



POLYOMAS ALEXXS. ^ ^^ ^ ^ . ft ^ ^^ jg^^gg 



than the average; the foot-stalk is very long, and the shape 



