INSECT A. 393 



sap of flowers ; they lick this up by means of their maxillae, pro- 

 longed into a tongue. 



This order is very numerous in species. Amongst these are many 

 which attract our eye by their brilliant colours, or the beautiful 

 design of the spots or streaks on the wings. It is as though nature 

 had given such large wings to butterflies in order to secure a wider 

 space for her pencil. 



Family XXV. Nocturna. Antennae setaceous or pectinate. 

 Wings horizontal for the most part or deflected, guarded by a 

 retinaculum, with few exceptions. Posterior tibiae with double 

 internal spine. 



Nocturnal Lepidoptera, Moths. The species of this and of the 

 following family are distinguished by the so-called retinaculum, 

 which they mostly possess. This part consists of a horny highly- 

 elastic hair, or of a little bundle of two or more hairs, which arise 

 on the anterior margin of the hind-wings close to their insertion. 

 A little flat ring on the under-surface of the fore-wing allows it a 

 passage, and thus both wings are connected, and similarly pressed 

 forwards and backwards, and in flight form only a single surface \ 

 Almost all these moths fly by night alone, or after sunset. The 

 females of some species are wingless, or have only minute rudiments 

 of wings (as Phalcena brumata, Bombyx antiqua, &c.) The form of 

 the larva is various, and they have from 10 to 16 feet. Most of 

 them make themselves a web, in which they change to pupae. 



This family in the system of LINN jsus forms only a single genus, 

 which he names Pkalcena. 



Pterophorus GEOFFR.. FABR. Four wings or two posterior cloven, 

 with fringed digitations. Antennas long, setaceous. Body slender. 

 Feet elongate. 



Sub-genus Pterophorus LATH. Labial palps small. 



Sp. Pterophorus pentadactylus, Phalcena (Alucita) pentadactyla L. ROSSEL, 

 Ins. i. Class IV. Pap. nocturn. Tab. v. &c. The caterpillars of this species 

 have sixteen feet, are broad and hairy, and change without spinning them- 

 selves in ; the pupse hang by threads, like those of day-butterflies. The 

 perfect insect sits with outspread wings, and reminds us of Tipula. 



1 I have treated specially of this part, and figured it in the NatuurTc Bijdragcn, 

 by H. C. VAN HALL, W. VROLIK and G. J. MULDER, n. 1827, bl. 273284. 



