OF LEPIDOPTEROUS INSECTS. 301 



the disturbed striae projecting like fine threads beyond the 

 margin of tlie scale ; I was led to form the opinion that they 

 must be a series of minute tubes. 



With this accidental clue to a mode of dissecting them, 

 I proceeded to mount some of the scales in a manner quite the 

 reverse to that before mentioned. Instead of applying the 

 wing to the glass, I breathed upon the talc, and applied the 

 wing to it; and in lieu of the gentle pressure heretofore used, 

 I repeatedly tapped with my finger upon the wing, with a con- 

 siderable degree of force ; and then having applied the talc to 

 the glass slip, I rubbed it backwards and forwards several 

 times, so as to injure the scales between them as much as 

 possible without totally destroying them. Upon submitting 

 them to a power of 800 linear. I found that the result was such 

 as I had anticipated, scarcely one of the beautiful broad blue 

 striated scales remaining uninjured, the strias were torn from 

 the surface of the scale, and some of them doubled back upon 

 the undisturbed portion of it, while others, either singly or two 

 or three side by side, appeared projecting beyond the margin 

 of the scale in all directions. In some cases the cross striae 

 remained uninjured, binding the longitudinal ones two or three 

 together ; in other places they were broken, and their remains 

 appeared projecting from the sides of the straggling single striae, 

 severed from each other by their fracture. In nearly the whole 

 of these cases a thin pellucid membrane of uniform colour and 

 texture remained unbroken beneath the disturbed striae. Upon 

 comparing the appearance of this membrane with that of the 

 spaces between the striae, where they had neither been detached 

 nor disturbed, it was at once apparent that there was less colour 

 visible in it than was to be seen between the striee on the more 

 perfect part of the scale ; and upon closely examining those 

 striae which were detached, and which projected from the scale, 

 it was distinctly to be perceived, wherever two or three were 

 together, that in addition to the attachment by means of the 

 cross striae, they were connected by an exceedingly thin trans- 

 parent membrane, of a pale yellow colour. From the whole 

 of these circumstances, it became apparent that the scales con- 

 sisted of at least two distinct layers ; the uppermost formed of 

 numerous longitudinal and cross striae, covered or connected 

 by a thin membrane more or less coloured, and the under one 

 composed of a somewhat thicker and stronger membrane of 



