204 TRUE TALES OF THE INSECTS. 



the adult state of the females, this group must be regarded 

 as among the most degraded instances of apiropodous 

 insects. But such a conclusion cannot be maintained, 

 as shown by an examination of the early stages of the 

 moths, for these, we find, exhibit as high an amount of 

 organization as those of any of the other insects 

 appertaining to the order. The truth is, these females 

 have become degenerate very different from the 

 creatures they once were. Their peculiarity consists 

 in this, that whereas, as a whole, winged insects always 

 undergo a gradual evolution of structure, by which 

 ultimately legs and wings are developed, these 

 individuals gradually lose their powers of evolution, 

 and not only this, but suffer a process of deterioration, 

 by which the limbs which they at first possessed 

 diminish, and at length dwindle altogether away, until 

 the animal becomes a mere short, inert, vermiform bag, 

 having not only no distinct trace of legs and wings, 

 but also the sense-organs, the antennae, and the organs 

 of the mouth are almost or entirely obliterated, and 

 even the articulated condition of the body has almost 

 disappeared. In these extreme forms it is hardly 

 possible for the degeneration of the female to proceed 

 farther, and in all doubtless the change has occupied 

 an immense period. 



Than these extraordinary moths, familiar to German 

 entomologists under the name of Sacktragers, perhaps 



