MOTH 



31)70 



MOTH 



rieties, some found in every part of the world, 

 often growing where no other plant life can 

 --. "covering with strange and tender honor 

 the scarred d: time." They belong to 



the flow. :p of plants, and arc related 



The mOSBGS have 



tiny steins ami true leaves, and their sporc- 

 dways open by a little 



lid. In the hot sun some mosses curl their 

 leaves to protect the upper surface from the 

 drying heat ; when they do this they look quite 

 brown and dead, but showers and cooler weather 

 bring back their fresh greenness. Some mosses 

 are so influenced by the dampness in the air 

 that they turn a different color with every 

 change. 



-os are soil makers. Their small roots, 

 working slowly, break off tiny bits of rock and 

 in time make dust of stone, just as fine as if it 

 had been mashed with a hammer. The leaves 

 gather dust particles from the air, and these, 

 with the dead tissue of the plant, make the soil 

 deeper where the moss grows. In Lapland, 

 mothers line the baby's cradle with moss, for it 

 is so soft and warm. Some of the birds line 

 their nests with moss. Frontiersmen use it to 

 chink the cracks between the logs of their cab- 

 ins. It makes an excellent packing material, 

 and in some places it is burned as fuel. In Ire- 

 land are great peat beds, swampy places where 

 peat moss grows; by a gradual process of filling 

 in and sinking, this forms a hard material 

 known as peat, which is much used for fuel. 

 See PEAT. 



Mosses live generally in damp and shady 

 places, but they are found also where it is dry 

 and warm. Their roots hold the rain as it falls 

 in the ground, instead of letting it run off, and 

 by keeping the ground damp, they encourage 

 other plants to come and live with them. 



MOTH, a beautiful insect, of which there are 

 many species, all resembling the butterfly in 

 appearance. It is distinguished from the but- 

 terfly by the antennae, or feelers; in the but- 

 terfly these are clubbed, while in the moth they 

 are feathery and usually terminate in a point, 

 but are never clubbed. The wings, when at rest, 

 are horizontal rather than at an angle with the 

 body, and sometimes reach an expanse of six 

 or seven inches, displaying in some species the 

 most gorgeous coloring. In most cases, though 

 there are exceptions to the rule, the wings of 

 the moth have a peculiar fastening, resembling 

 a hook and eye, which is not present in the 

 butterfly, and the bodies of most moths are 

 thicker than those of butterflies. 



Moths usually fly by night, as they are at- 

 tracted by lights, while butterflies fly by day. 

 The common, small white, mealy moth is called 

 a milltr. Another small moth, known as the 

 clot hi * moth, is inconspicuous as to color, but 

 very destructive to woolen fabrics. 



Another variety of moth is found in the tropi- 

 cal countries and resembles the bee and the 



MOTH AND BUTTERFLY 



At left is a moth, at right a butterfly. The 

 points of similarity can easily be noted in these 

 two specimens. Not all mot^hs so closely resem- 

 ble the butterfly. 



wasp. The moth known as the silk-moth is the 

 only one of direct use to man, though a large 

 number are of importance in destroying fruits, 

 grains and vegetables when in their larval 

 (young) state. 



THE MOTH 



The moth undergoes a complete metamorphosis. 

 In the illustration all but the egg stage is shown ; 

 b is tho grub, or larva; a is the cocoon, which 

 encloses the pupa, and c is the adult moth. 



Consult Holland's Moth Book; Dickerson's 

 Moths and Butterflies. 



Siilj>ctN. The following articles in 

 these volumes will give much information on this 

 interesting subject : 



Gypsy Moth 



Insect 



Larva 



Metamorphosis 



Silk 



Sphinx Moth 



Tussock Moth 



Antennae 

 Brown-Tail Moth 

 Butterfly 

 Caterpillar 



Chrysalis 

 Cocoon 

 Codling Moth 

 Death's-Head Moth 



