LEPIDOPTERA. ' 347 



like a steep roof over their bodies when they are at rest. Their 

 fore-wings are very much curved and are very broad at the shoul- 

 ders, and hence these insects are called Platyomides, that is, 

 brdad shoulders, by the French naturaHsts. These wings are 

 generally very prettily banded and spotted, and are sometimes 

 ornamented with brilliant metallic spots. The hind-wings are 

 plain, and of an uniform dusky or grayish color, and the inner 

 edge is folded like a fan against the side of the body. Their 

 antenna? are naked or threadlike. Their feelers, two in number, 

 are broad, of moderate length, or project like a short beak in 

 front of the head, and are never curved upwards. The spiral 

 tongue is mostly short and sometimes invisible. The body is 

 rather short and thick, and the legs are also much shorter in 

 proportion than in the Delta- moths. These little moths fly only 

 in the evening and night, and remain at rest during the day upon 

 or near the plants inhabited by their caterpillars. They are most 

 abundant in midsummer, but certain species appear in the .spring 

 or autumn. The habits of the Tortrices, in all their states, are 

 not yet known well enough to enable us to group the insects 

 together under family names. 



The caterpillars of some of our largest species are found on 

 the ends of the branches of various trees and bushes, in nests, 

 made of the young leaves drawn together in bunches, and fast- 

 ened with threads. In the middle of these nests the caterpillars 

 live, either singly, or in companies of several individuals togeth- 

 er. Nests of this kind, containing a large number of caterpillars, 

 may often be seen on oak-trees in the summer. The chrysalids 

 force their way partly out of the nests by the help of the trans- 

 verse rows of prickles on their backs, when the moths are about 

 to make their escape. The moths resemble in form and general 

 appearance those of another species, the caterpillars of which 

 live singly in much smaller nests, on apple-trees and rose-bushes. 

 Early in May, or soon after the buds of the apple-tree begin to 

 open, these little caterpillars begin their labors. They curl up 

 and fasten together the small and tender leaves that supply them 

 both with shelter and food ; and in this way, they often do con- 

 siderable damage to the trees. These caterpillars are sometimes 

 of a pale green color, with the head and the top of the first ring 



