316 OUR HOUSEHOLD INSECTS 



as follows : " As among greater Animals, there are many 

 that are scaled, both for ornament and defence, so are 

 there not wanting some such also among the lesser 

 bodies of Insects, whereof this little creature gives us an 

 Instance. It is a small white Silver-shining Worm or 

 Moth, which I found much conversant among Books 

 and Papers, and is suppos'd to be that which corrodes 

 and eats holes through the leaves and covers ; it appears 

 to the naked eye a small glittering Pearl-colour'd Moth, 

 which, upon the removing of Books and Papers in the 

 Summer, is often observ'd very nimbly to scud, and 

 pack away to some lurking cranney, where it may the 

 better protect itself from any appearing dangers. Its 

 head appears bigg and blunt, and its body tapers from 

 it towards the tail smaller and smaller, being shap'd 

 almost like a Garret." In connection with this extract 

 it is to be remarked that the words "moth" and "worm" 

 were at that time used with a less restricted signification 

 than at the present day ; the former did not necessarily 

 imply the existence of wings in the animal so denomi- 

 nated, nor the latter the absence of legs. It was a time 

 when the classification of natural objects was in a most 

 imperfect condition, and no very definite conception was 

 attached to many of the terms employed. " Moth " and 

 "worm" were interchangeable words, implying any 

 small invertebrate creature, especially if of destructive 

 proclivities. 



To proceed to a more detailed examination. The 

 insect consists of a head, three segments constituting 

 the thorax, and eleven composing the body. The rounded 

 head, as already mentioned, carries two long slender 

 antennae, composed of a multitude of minute joints, and 

 pointing forwards. They are generally more or less 

 imperfect, from damages received in consequence of the 



