76 LEPIDOPTERA. 



obscurity of the forest in tlie day, and only venture on the wing when the sun is down. 

 In Europe we visit their nocturnal haunts without difficulty or dread ; but in hotter cli- 

 mates these are oftentimes impenetrable, or the lurking places of ferocious animals ; and 

 few will expose themselves to their attacks to increase the catalogue of exotic moths.* 



Phalaena Atlas is the first species we have to notice. It is one of the largest of the 

 moth tribe,t and is, indeed, a gigantic creature. The species is common, but not peculiar 

 to China, being found in other parts of Asia, and in America. The influence of climate 

 is easily traced in the individuals from different countries ; that from Surinam is the 

 largest, and of the deepest colours. The Chinese kind is the next in size ; the colours 

 incline to orange, and the anterior wings are more falcated, or hooked, at the ends. We 



* The far greater number of moths can only be taken in the woods at nig-lit. Tliis is termed mothiny by 

 collectors. The moths beg-in to stir about twilight, and when almost dark, commence their flight. The collector 

 is furnished with a large gauze folding-net, in which the insects are caught indiscriminately, for it is impossible 

 to distinguish one species from another, and often is so dark, that the object itself can barely be discerned. 

 Different species have their favourite haunts, some the lanes and skirts of woods, but many of them prefer the 

 open breaks in the most retired places. As it would be unsafe, or impossible, to penetrate the woods in many 

 countries, it is better to collect the larvae, or caterpillars, for these may be foimd on the trees in the day-time, 

 and if kept in little gauze cages, and carefully fed, will change into chrysalides, and produce the moths. This is 

 certainly tedious, and few travellers will divert their attention from more important observations ; but were they 

 to appropriate their leisure to this branch of science, they would materially improve entomology. Mr. Abbot 

 investigated a small distiict of Georgia, in North America, in this manner, and our cabinets are indebted to 

 his labours for several hundred species, altogether new in Europe. The reader may estimate the importance of 

 these discoveries, by reft-rring to the two expensive volumes of North American Lepidopterous Insects ; and re- 

 flecting, that the originals of all the species included in that work are but a small selection from those he has 

 furnished us with. Viewing these as the result of one man's research, in an inconsiderable portion of North 

 America, what a variety of new and splendid kinds would be the reward of those, who should explore the more 

 genial regions of Asia, Africa, and South America, with equal diligence and information ! 



We have hazarded an assertion which mav seem inadmissible, that the Phalsense are infinitely more nu- 

 merous than the Papiliones, or any other tribe of insects. Not that we possess more, but because, in every 

 country that has been investigated, experience justifies such opinion. For instance, in Great Britain we have 

 only sixty "' Papiliones, and by mere accident two or three local species have lately been added ; of the PhalsensB 

 we have more than 900. The same comparative proportion is observed throughout the countries of the Euro- 

 j)ean continent; and it is singularly analogous, that our opinion is confirmed, by the recent discoveries of Mr. 

 Abbot in America. 



t When Linnaeus described it, few of the very large species of Phalsena were known. There are two spe- 

 cies from the interior of Africa, which are larger than the Chinese Atlas, and several others scarcely inferior in 

 magnitude. 



" (There are now about eighty-five indigenous British butterflies, and between seventeen and eighteen 

 hundred moths. J. O. W.) 



