CATALOGUE 



OP 



LEriDOPTERA PHALtEN^. 



miRODUCTION. 



Thi^ Lepidoptera, consisting of the Butterflies, Papiliones, and Moths, 

 Phalcence, to revert to the original terms given to them by Linnseus *, 

 are for the most part easily distinguished from all other insects 

 by : — (1) The maxillae being channelled and conjoined to form a 

 tubular proboscis, which, however, is often more or less aborted or 

 entirely absent in such groups as the Hepialidce, Psychidce, Satur- 

 ■niada-, and some Sesiada', P)jralida', etc. (2) By the mandibles 

 being obsolete, except in the ancestral family Microj>teri/gidce, 

 where in the genus BnocepJuda they are functionally active. (3) By 

 the very largely developed clypeus or frons forming the whole front 

 of the head. (4) By the broad, regularly veined wings clothed with 

 minute scales which are modified hairs, all the gradations between 

 the extreme forms of hairs and scales being often observable in the 

 same insect : some Lepidoptera, however, appear to be hyaline and 

 devoid of scales, either by the scales falling off after development 

 or by being so reduced in size as to become microscopic ; whilst 

 the females of Psychidce and some Lymantriadce, Geometridce, and 

 Tineidce have the wings more or less aboi-ted. 



The Lepidoptera, after leaving the egg, pass through three well- 

 defined stages of development and changes in structure and habit — 

 (1) The larva, whose function is growth ; (2) the pupa, whose 

 function is maturation ; and (3) the imago, whose function is 

 reproduction t. 



* Strictly speaking, the Plialcsnce are the Vhalanm of Linnajus plus his 

 Sfhinges. 



t E. Meyrick, ' Introduction to Handbook of British Lepidoptera.' Mac- 

 millan, 1895. 



VOL. I. B 



