THE LEPIDOPTERA. ji 



of whose legs we are now treating, do not walk much, and this is 

 particularly the case with regard to those that fly by day — the 

 diurnal or butterfly Lcpidoptcra — which only use their extremities 

 as supports to rest upon. Generally the three pairs of legs are 

 equally developed, but the first are often atrophied in some kinds 

 of butterflies. These ill-developed legs are smaller than the others, 



-/ '"A 



ENDS OF THE FEET OF LEPIDOPTERA. 



I. Papilio machaon. 2. Heliconia. 3. Vanessa lo. 4. Sphinx ligustri. 



and do not have hooks or claws on their extremities ; they are very 

 hairy, and are usually kept close against the chest or thorax. 



The legs of the Lcpidoptcra are covered with hairs and scales, 

 and the feet terminate in hooks, which are always of one shape in 

 the moths or nocturnal kinds, and which are greatly modified in 

 the butterflies or diurnal flyers. 



Nearly every kind of butterfly has the endings of its feet 

 modified to meet its peculiar habits and. the nature of the foliage 

 it crawls over. 



We have noticed the wonderful transformation which occurs 



