318 APPENDIX BT THE 



throughout Europe, but is rare in England. Tho reader 

 is probably aware that Linnseus gave to the butterfly fam- 

 ily, in its largest sense, the name of Lepidoptera, or scaly- 

 wings, from the minute scales, resembling dust to the naked 

 eye, with which their wings are covered. Diminutive as 

 these scales are, they are yet perfect in their order and 

 formation, when examined by a microscope. The wing 

 of a peacock butterfly was submitted to this scrutiny, and 

 the scales actually counted by a patient observer ; a quar- 

 ter of an inch square was cut from the wing and placed 

 under the instrument, when seventy rows of scales were 

 counted on it, ninety to each row, so that a single square 

 inch must contain 100,936 of these minute scales ! 

 The peacock butterfly is unknown in America. 



NOTE BB. 



THE GLOW-WORM, (lampyris noctiluca) p. 206. 



" Our English glow-worm, as we presume most people 

 are aware, is the wingless female of a winged beetle, which 

 also carries a light, though one of much inferior lustre." 



" It is supposed by some, that the light of the wingless 

 beetle is bestowed for her protection, to scare away her 

 hungry foes, the nightingale and other birds of night ; it 

 is opined by others, that the insect's gift of brilliancy, like 

 many of the like bestowed upon mankind, is the very 

 means of her destruction, the very lure and light by which 

 her biped foes are assisted to discover and devour her." 

 So writes the author of Acheta Domestica when speak- 

 ing of the glow-worm of England. 



This little creature is farther described as having "a tiny 

 head," " a slate-colored, oblong, flat, and wingless body, all 

 divided into rings, and bearing at its nether extremity, 

 the lamp by night, a lustrous emerald, by day, a dull 



