WINGLESS MOTHS. 279 



deep red, finished at the extremity by a black and yellow tuft. 

 From its clear, transparent, brown-bordered wings, none but 

 the " initiate" would take it for other than a curious sort of 

 fly or bee, whereas it is in fact the " Bee Hawk-moth," - one of 

 those above alluded to. Of another family, 2 but resembling 

 the last in naked transparency of pinion, there is the " Bee 

 Clear-wing" which, in the heat of noonday, is accustomed to 

 flit rapidly from flower to flower, alighting on their corollas to 

 extract their sweets. 



From moths with wings painted in mosaic, wings of feathers, 

 and wings naked, we come lastly to moths without any wings 

 at all. 



There is a certain moth, classed among the nocturnal, but 

 often to be seen abroad in August sunshine an active, rest- 

 less, prying little fellow, who can boast, besides a single pair of 

 horns or antennae magnificently feathered, a double pair of 

 bright brown wings, the foremost dotted each with a spot of 

 white, and of as ample dimensions as any reasonable little moth 

 need desire. This gay, sunshiny " nocturnal " is called the 

 " Vapourer;'' 3 but, if we may be allowed a pun upon his 

 name, it is his lady to whom the malady of vapours might 

 seem the most likely to be incidental, seeing that while her 

 mate is taking his winged pleasure abroad, she (poor soul !) is 

 compelled to sit at home, or just creep about its precincts, be- 

 cause she has not a single wing to fly with. In truth, a strange, 

 homely-looking creature for a moth is this Lady Vapourer, 

 with her great heavy brown body, making her seem all body 

 and nothing else ; for not only wings, but even head, horns, 

 legs each of which are of the smallest possible dimensions 

 seem sacrificed to the formation of that bulky corporation^ a 

 perfect sackful of eggs, which are actually discernible through 

 the skin. 4 



1 Sesia fusiformis 2 That of JEgerida. 3 Orgyla antiqua. 



4 See vignette for figures of the " Vapourer," male and female. 



