30 , SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 



whilst the wings are raised over the back. The forewings are now 

 about as long as the abdomen ; they seem comparatively very large 

 on emergence. The anal tufts are erect and separate, but the hairs 

 look a little matted together. 



" 9 a.m. — The wings are almost fully expanded, but the cilia are 

 rather matted together. 



" 9.07 a.m.— The wings are separated and held in a plane parallel 

 with the abdomen, the costal margins of the forewings being at about 

 a right angle with one another. The third segment of the hind wing 

 is kept separate between the other segments and the abdomen. The 

 cilia still look matted. The antenna? are laid along the costa. The 

 hind legs are now at an angle with the abdomen underneath the 

 wings, which seem rather to be stretched over the spurs. Can these 

 spurs be for the purpose of stretching and drying the wings, a thing 

 which must be somewhat of a difficulty in the case of these long 

 slender segments ? Anyway, it certainly is the case that amongst the 

 Plume Moths there is a correlation between long spurs and extreme 

 fission of the wings. Normally, too, when the moth has flown, 

 the long spurred hind legs are stuck straight out when at rest, well 

 away from the wings. 



" 9.24 a.m. — The legs have now been slipped down a little, and 

 each outer distal spur is now pressing on the costa of the second 

 segment of the forewings, separating it out from the first segment, 

 whilst the outer proximal spur similarly opens out the second 

 segment of the hind wings from the first segment. 



" 9.29 a.m. — The legs have now been slipped down nearer the 

 body, and are directly beneath the third segment of the hind wings. 

 The outer distal spur is just touching the cilia of the inner margin of 

 the second segment of the forewings, and probably acts as a sort of 

 comb to separate the hairs. 



" 9.34 a.m. — The third segment of the hind wings is now 7 resting 

 with its apex on the outer distal spur, which spreads out the long 

 cilia very well. The outer proximal spur combs out the inner 

 marginal cilia of the third segment. 



" 9.40 a.m — The hind legs are now laid along the abdomen quite 

 clear of the wings, which are still deflexed. 



9.45-9.50 a.m. — The wings are being brought forward very slowly 

 until the costal margins are at about right angles with the abdomen. 

 Meanwhile the antennas are laid beneath the wings and comb out the 

 basal cilia as the wings are drawn forward." 



I would call particular attention to the light now thrown on the 

 use of the long spurs which occur on the hind legs of so many Plume 

 Moths. The facts exhibited in the above notes, together with the 

 constant correlation of long spurs with extreme fission of the wings, 

 seem to point out that these spurs have been developed expressly to 

 stretch the wings, to separate the segments, and to comb out the 

 long cilia. 



