LOXG-HORX MOTHS. 275 



Long-horn Moths, of which we have several examples 

 in England. These Moths are remarkable for the 

 extreme length and delicacy of their antennae, these 

 appendages being very much longer in the males than 

 in the females. The best known of these is the DE 

 GEEREAN (Adela de Geerela). This is a truly magni- 

 ficent insect. Even to the naked eye its upper wings 

 are singularly beautiful, but when it is examined by 

 the microscope its splendour absolutely baffles descrip- 

 tion. Suffice it to say that the wings then appear to 

 be covered with scale armour of burnished gold, every 

 scale taking a rich purple hue in certain light. As the 

 insect is turned under the microscope the edges become 

 deeply purple, this hue being strongest and most con- 

 spicuous towards the tips. The fringe of the wings 

 has also a tendency to purple. 



The antennae of this Moth are of enormous length. 

 Just at the base they are rather thick, and have a very 

 slight feathering. They then suddenly diminish, and 

 are so long and so delicate that they almost look lik 

 the threads of a spider's web that have been casually 

 attached to the creature's head. Indeed, I have often 

 taken the Moth by watching for the flash of light re- 

 flected from the antennae as they wave about in the 

 air like threads of gossamer, while the insect is sitting 

 quietly on a leaf. 



THE next group of Tineae are all leaf-miners in 

 the larval state. The name of this group is the 

 Lithocolletidae. The object of this name I really 

 cannot determine. It is derived from two Greek 

 words, the former signifying a stone, and the latter to 



