612 THE MICROSCOPE. 



wing are the best, requiring some management of illumi- 

 nation to bring out the lines sharp and clear. 



The common Clothes-moth generally lays its eggs on 

 the woollen or fur articles it is bent upon destroying; the 

 larva begins to eat immediately it is hatched; then with 

 the hairs or wool it tirst gnaws off, it forms a case or 

 tube, under the protection of which it devours the sub- 

 stance of the article on which it fixes its abode. This 

 tube is of parchment-like consistence, and quite white; 

 is cylindrical in its shape, and furnished at both ends with 

 a kind of flap, which the insect raises at pleasure, and 

 crawls out ; or it projects the front part of its body with 

 its fore-feet through the opening, just enough to enable 

 it to creep about without removing the rest of its body from 

 the tube, which it draws after it. There are several kinds 

 of Clothes-moths, the caterpillars of many bury them- 

 selves m the article on which they feed, 

 instead of making the tube before-men- 

 tioned. The moths also differ very much 

 in appearance ; the commonest is of a light 

 buff colour ; one species, Tinea tapetzella, 

 fig. 274, is nearly black, with the larger 

 wings white tipped, or pale grey. 

 Mr. Topping, the well known preparer of microscopic 

 objects, generally furnishes three kinds of test-objects, which 

 he covers with the thinnest glass, in order that object- 

 glasses of the highest powers may be used in their exami- 

 nation. The following are arranged in their order of 

 value as test-objects : 



wg. 274.- The Black 

 Clothes-moth. 



Mr. J. T. Norman, of City Road, preparer of specimens for the microscope, 

 furnished our Eggs of Insects. 



