INSECTA. 393 
sap of flowers; they lick this up by means of their maxille, pro- 
longed into a tongue. 
This order is very numerous in species. Amongst these are many 
which attract our eye by their brilliant colours, or the beautiful 
design of the spots or streaks on the wings. It is as though nature 
had given such large wings to butterflies in order to secure a wider 
space for her pencil. 
Family XXV. Nocturna. Antenne setaceous or pectinate. 
Wings horizontal for the most part or deflected, guarded by a 
retinaculum, with few exceptions. Posterior tibiee with double 
internal spine. 
Nocturnal Lepidoptera, Moths. The species of this and of the 
following family are distinguished by the so-called retinaculum, 
which they mostly possess. This part consists of a horny highly- 
elastic hair, or of a little bundle of two or more hairs, which arise 
on the anterior margin of the hind-wings close to their insertion. 
A little flat ring on the under-surface of the fore-wing allows it a 
passage, and thus both wings are connected, and similarly pressed 
forwards and backwards, and in flight form only a single surface’. 
Almost all these moths fly by night alone, or after sunset. The 
females of some species are wingless, or have only minute rudiments 
of wings (as Phalena brumata, Bombyx antiqua, &ec.) The form of 
the larva is various, and they have from 10 to 16 feet. Most of 
them make themselves a web, in which they change to pupe. 
This family in the system of Linyaus forms only a single genus, 
which he names Phalena. 
Pterophorus Guorrr.. FABR. Four wings or two posterior cloven, 
with fringed digitations. Antenne long, setaceous. Body slender. 
Feet elongate. 
Sub-genus Pterophorus Larr. Labial palps small. 
Sp. Pterophorus pentadactylus, Phalena (Alucita) pentadactyla LL. R@SEL, 
Ins. 1. Class tv. Pap. nocturn, Tab. v. &c. The caterpillars of this species 
have sixteen feet, are broad and hairy, and change without spinning them- 
selves in; the pup hang by threads, like those of day-butterflies. The 
perfect insect sits with outspread wings, and reminds us of Tipula. 
1 T have treated specially of this part, and figured it in the Natuurk Biydragen, 
by H. C. Van Haun, W. Vrouk and G. J. MuLpeEr, 1. 1827, bl. 273—284. 
