380 



THE LIFE OF AN INSECT. 



moths and butterflies the number must greatly 

 exceed this. They are generally arranged like 

 the tiles on a house-roof ; and if they are scraped 

 off, the minute dots where each was attached 

 becomes distinctly visible. The term used to in- 

 dicate the tribe of insects to which the moth and 

 butterfly appertain, is, as has been before re- 

 marked, Lepidoptera, or " scale-winged," from this 

 very fact. Some membranaceous wings are clothed 

 with fine hairs. 



If we take up a beetle, 

 and look for its wings, for 

 the first time, we shall 

 probably fail in detecting 

 them, that is, of course, if 

 the insect has not been ob- 

 served in the act of flying. 

 On examining the body 

 we see, indeed, a pair of 

 shining horny plates on 

 its back : but surely these are not wings ? Pre- 

 sently, the insect having mounted to the top of 

 our finger, prepares for flight ; its two hard cases 

 fly up, and, behold ! from beneath them appears 

 a pair of the most beautiful gauze-like wings, 



Blight- Bee tie. 

 Natural size and magnified. 



