Lepidoptera 231 



of the hind-body enable the pupa to emerge parti- 

 ally from its cocoon. The abdomen often ends in a 

 strong flattened spine, the cremaster (fig. 126 d) fre- 

 quently beset with numerous curved hooklets which 

 anchor to the silk of the cocoon when the pupa has 

 got far enough out, or serve to suspend those pupae 

 not enclosed in cocoons from their pad of silk. 



Classification. — The popular division of Lepi- 

 doptera into "Butterflies" {Rhop aloe era) and "Moths" 

 (^Heterocera) is quite unscientific, the butterflies being 

 more nearly related to the higher moths than these 

 to the lower moths. It has been proposed (5) to 

 separate the three lowest families which have, like 

 Trichoptera, a jugum on each forewing — as Jiigata 

 from all other Lepidoptera — Frenatct: also (77) to 

 divide the families with incomplete pupae {Incompletie) 

 from those with obtect pupae {Obtecta) ; also (145) 

 to separate the lowest family on account of the 

 structure of the first maxillae as a sub-order {Lachiiatci) 

 distinct from all the other families {Haustellata). On 

 the whole it is better not to adopt any division of the 

 Lepidoptera between the order and the family (146). 



Micropterygidae.^ — The Mkropterygida form the lowest family of 

 moths, with striking affinities to the Caddis-flies. They are very 

 small insects with bronzy-golden wings, differing from all other 

 Lepidoptera in the first maxilla having lacinis as w^ell as gales, 

 the latter parts not being elongate or grooved. The mandibles 

 though small are quite recognisable ; in the pupa these jaws are 

 large and functional, serving to bite a way out of the cocoon. The 

 forewing has a jugum and its sub-costal nervure is forked ; except 

 for this character the neuration of the hindwing is closely similar ; 

 the number of cross-nervules is greater than in the higher families. 

 The caterpillars have eight pairs of prolegs (an exceptionally large 

 number among Lepidoptera) and feed in damp moss (77, 145). The 

 family is, so far as known, found only in Europe and North 

 Africa, America, and New Zealand ; it contains very few genera 

 and species. 



Eriocraniidae.'^ — The Eriocraniida agree with the preceding family 



1 Etiocephalidie of Packard. - Micropterygida of Packard. 



