292 INSECTS AT HOME. 



and iridescent, and the antennse- are pale brown barred with 

 the same dark hue as that which ornaments the upper wings. 



On Woodcut XXVI. Fig. 2, is shown an insect which has the 

 popular name of the Elegant Granndm {Limnephiliis ele- 

 gans). In the genus to which this insect belongs, the body is 

 rounded, and the wings are narrow and rather squared at the 

 ends. The maxilla and its palpus is shown at Fig. h, and the 

 labium Avith its palpi at Fig. a. There are nearly fifty species 

 of this large genus, all of which have a very moth-like appear- 

 ance, specially when seen on the wing or when ' set ' in a 

 cabinet. 



When alive, the body of this species has a slight yellowish 

 tinge, the upper part being blackish, and the segments being 

 edged with whitish grey. The wings are very shining, and the 

 upper pair are pale brown with dark nervui-es, and one or two 

 dark spots and streaks. The lower pair are pearly in hue, and 

 ratlier iridescent when the light falls on them in different 

 angles. 



On the same Woodcut, Fig. 4, is shown another of these curious 

 insects, named scientifically Leptocerus ochraccus. In the 

 insects belonging to this genus, the tibioe of the hindmost 

 pair of legs have two spurs, and the antennas are exceedingly 

 long and slender. The name Leptocerus alludes to this latter 

 characteristic. It is formed from the Greek words, signifying 

 ' slender-horned.' In the illustration, the antennae are of the 

 ri'^ht length, but are too thick, especially at the base. These 

 organs nro in reality almost as slender as hairs, and even when 

 the insect has been set and dried, the long and delicate an- 

 tennte wave about with every breath of air, and give to the 

 dead insect an air as if it were again alive. When the wings 

 are closed, and the insect is sitting on a leaf, it bears a 

 curiously close resemblance to the Long-horn moths which will 

 be described on a future page. There are rather more than 

 thirty species of this genus. 



