490 INSECTS AT HOME. 



have fed upon something, and yet it is not easy to conjecture 

 what that something was, for there is nothing in nature analo- 

 gous to flour or meal. 



On Woodcut LVI. Fig. 2, is shown one of those curious 

 insects, the common Meal-Moth {Pyralis farinalis). In these 

 Moths the wings have a gloss on the surface, are rather long 

 and narrow, and, when the insect is at rest, fall into a trian- 

 gular form. The antennae of the males are. hairy beneath, 

 while those of the females are plain. 



This very pretty little Moth has the upper wings dark brown, 

 variegated with yellowish bars, as shown in the illustration. 

 The figure is rather magnified, in order to bring out its mark- 

 ings more distinctly, and the same is the case with most, 

 though not all, of the remaining Moths. 



^ Only three British species of the genus are known, the most 

 familiar of which is the Double-Bar Meal Moth (Pyralis 

 glaucinalis). It is less than the preceding species, and is 

 scarcely so pretty. The colour of the wings is brown, across 

 which are drawn two bands of a paler hue. 



On the same Woodcut, at Fig. 3, is drawn the too familiar 

 Tabby Moth {Aglossa pinguinalis). 



The Moth is rather a pretty one. Its upper wings are yel- 

 lowish-brown, with a very dark and nearly black patch at the 

 base of each wing, and a broad stripe of the same colour run- 

 ning parallel with the hind margin, and much wider above 

 than below. A narrow white streak divides the dark from the 

 lighter portions of the wing. The lower wings are of the 

 same pale dun as the upper pair, but they are without the 

 dark markings, and have only two jagged narrow streaks of 

 white near them. When the wings are expanded, these marks 

 look as if they were continuations of the corresponding marks 

 of the upper wings. 



This may almost take rank as one of the Clothes Moths, as 

 in the larval state it feeds on old and greasy clothing. Grease, 

 indeed, seems to be a necessity with this insect, which delights 

 especially in old horse-rugs that are neglected by carelesd 

 grooms. The specific name of pinguinalis signifies fatty or 

 greasy, and is given to the species on account of the substances 

 on which the larva feeds. 



