

SUBSTITUTION OP A WING FOR A LEG IN A MOTH. 65 



anterior margin. The outer half of the wing has very few scales, 

 and these are mostly of a pale brickdust or brownish-red colour, 

 some being quite colourless and transparent, so that the wing is red 

 at the base and shades off gradually into a faint brownish-red 

 colour near the tip. The fringe on this outer half is of the colour 

 of the adjacent part of the wing, but with a tinge of grey. The 

 neuration of the extra wing does not appear to be abnormal, but 

 resembles that of the hind- wing. This wing is attached to the body 

 along the line in which the first joint of the leg would lie if present, 

 and by a junction of rather more than I'" in length ; it would, 

 therefore, probably, have been quite immoveable when the insect 

 was alive. It has one or two slight longitudinal folds, but is not 

 in any way deformed. The wing is inclined to the horizontal at 

 an angle of about 30, and points downwards and backwards, 

 making an angle of about 45 with the body. There was not much 

 variety, except in size (1" V" to 1" 7'") amongst the red specimens, 

 and I think that I bred very few cripples from the pupae I collected. 

 I have called this case of monstrosity " The apparent substitution 

 of a wing for a leg," and I may here state that I have examined 

 this specimen carefully, several times, with a magnifying glass and 

 microscope, and have been quite unable to see any trace of the 

 sixth leg or anything that could represent it. Had it been 

 present externally, even though very small, I think I must 

 have seen it. It has also been seen and examined amongst 

 others by three Fellows of the Royal Society the Rev. O. 

 P. Cambridge and Messrs. R. McLachlan and H. T. Stainton 

 who will all, I believe, endorse what I say. I bred the 

 moth myself, and set it carefully upside down, so as to show the 

 extra wing, and set out the legs. The specimen has been in my 

 possession ever since. Beyond this I can see no trace what- 

 ever of a leg having been broken off, and feel satisfied that 

 nothing of the sort has taken place. I am particular in 

 giving these details, as they will answer questions which 

 would be likely to occur to those who read the description of 

 this moth. 



