OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 145 



male (Fig. 69, c) is remarkable for having his upper jaws — which in 

 the female (Fig. 69, <:/) are normal and fitted for biting — prolonged into 

 incurved, prehensile appendages of the form of a grain-cradle finger 

 and smooth and cylindrical, except at tips, which are pointed and mi- 

 nutely notched. As Mr. Walsh first pointed out,f this modification is 

 evidently to enable him to embrace the soft body of the female, as it 

 can not well have any other use. The body of the Hellgrammite fly is 

 soft, and were the jaws of the male horny, and armed with teeth, in 

 securing the female they would injure her, and thus defeat rather than 

 aid procreation. In the large Stag-beetle or " Buck-bug" {Liicamis 

 elaphvs Linn.), on the contrary, where both sexes have very hard, 

 horny bodies, the upper jaws in the male are greatly prolonged, but 

 very stout, and armed with sharp prongs, the better to enable him to 

 seize the female. 



In these two cases we see how wonderfully the homologous or- 

 gans have been modified in opposite directions to accomplish the 

 same end. We find in Nature innumerable such curious contrivances 

 and modifications, which at once excite our wonder and admiration. 

 To quote Mr. Walsh's own eloquent words: "In so elaborate and 

 diversified a manner does Nature adapt her plans and patterns to the 

 ever-varying conditions of animated existence ; and with such con- 

 summate care has she provided that the great fundamental law shall 

 everywhere be efl"ectually carried out — 'Increase and multiply and 

 replenish the earth.'" 



It is worthy of remark that in both these large insects in which 

 the male upper jaws are so modified, this sex is far more common than 

 the other. It is probably owing to the fact that the female seldom 

 wanders away from her breeding place, and is, therefore, less often 

 seen than her more restless and adventurous mate. 



THE GOAT- WEED BUTTERFLY— Pf/_p/^/« gjycerium Doubleday. 



ADDITIONAL FACTS IN ITS HISTORY. 

 [■Fig 72 ] 



In my second Report (pp. 125-8) I gave an 

 illustrated account of this insect, which was, how- 

 ^ ever, incomplete, and in some few respects im- 

 perfect. Having since reared hundreds from the 

 egg to the imago state, and otherwise carefully 

 observed its habits, I am now able to supplement 

 and complete the natural history of one of the 

 most interesting of our N. A. butterflies. 



t Practical Entomologist, Vol. II, p. 107. 

 E.R— 10 



