The L-ife-History and Anatomy of Moths 



of the legs, it will be well for the student to thoroughly famil- 

 iarize himself with the location and names of the different parts 

 indicated in this and the following figure. 



Fig. ii. Legs of a Moth. (From "Packard's Guide," p. 231.) 



I. Fore Leg. 2. Middle Leg. 3. Hind Leg. 



u. Ungues. 



p. Pul villus. 



sp. 1. Single anterior spur. 



sp. 2. Paired medial spurs. 



sp. 3. Two pairs of posterior spurs. 



The structure of the wings of moths is essentially like that of 

 butterflies, and consists of a framework of hollow tubes which 

 support a double membrane which bears upon its surfaces the 

 scales, which overlap each other like the tiles upon the roof of a 

 house. The tubes, which are known as veins, communicate with 

 the respiratory system and are highly pneumatic. They are also 

 connected with the circulatory system, and are furnished, at least 

 through their basal portions, with nerves. 



The fore wing has normally twelve veins. The hind wing 

 has also in primitive forms, as the Hepialidce, twelve veins, but 

 in the vast majority of cases this number has been reduced, and 

 eight veins is the number which is found in the majority of cases 

 in the hind wing. The accompanying figures, with their expla- 

 nations, will suffice far better than any mere verbal explanation 

 to explain the structure of the wings of moths. (See Figures 

 12 and 13.) 



The relative position of vein five in relation to the median or 

 subcostal systems has been much utilized in recent years by 

 systematists in their classification of the various groups. 



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