72 TRANSFORMATIONS OF INSECTS. 



of the mouth of the caterpillar into the long trunk-like suction 

 tube of the perfect insect, and it is therefore only necessary to 

 state that the lower palpi, which are attached to the lower lip 

 or labrum, are large, and that they probably act as organs of 

 touch. 



The antennae are formed by a long row of joints, and are of 

 different shapes in a great number of the Lepidoptera. They 

 form, witli the eyes, very beautiful objects for low magnifying 

 powers, and the globular shape of these compound organs of 

 vision is well shown with the binocular microscope, which ex- 

 hibits the extraordinary long hairs between the hexagonal 

 facettes of the cornea to perfection. 



All these structural details refer to the perfect insect, and 

 they have been superadded to those characteristic of the larva or 

 caterpillar condition during metamorphosis; they are the pro- 

 duct of a definite growth and development, and which is more 

 or less invariable, according to the species, but they are often 

 modified and varied in order to meet the exigencies of altered 

 external circumstances. 



The most beautiful insects in the world belong to the Lepi- 

 doptera, but it is remarkable that they should not be very 

 interesting in their habits and peculiar instincts. The gift of 

 superior beauty, like as in the highest of all animals, is not fre- 

 quently accompanied by remarkable intelligence and superior 

 sense; and the most gaudy butterfly is a fool in comparison to 

 a dingy-coloured bee. The butterflies have some curious instincts 

 when in the caterpillar state, but they only live to increase and 

 multiply their race, and to embellish Nature. Their existence 

 is usually very brief; it is one of the prettiest of honeymoons, 

 and often love subdues and destroys every other passion. The 

 gormandising caterpillar is never troubled by the ardent flame 

 which consumes even the thought of sipping the nectar of the 

 flowers that rival in beauty the A\ings of the perfect represen- 

 tation of elegance and love. The early insect lives and eats, 

 and the perfect form loves and dies. 



The female butterfly's instincts are principally restricted to 

 selecting proper positions for her eggs. She never sees her 

 hatched progeny, and can have no ideas about the respective 



