LEPIDOPTERA. 359 



Among the largest and finest species may be reck- 

 oned the great Atlas Moth (Saturnia* Atlas) of 

 China, whose expanded wings measure nearly a foot 

 in diameter. It is elegantly marked with various 

 shades of reddish brown, with a large transparent 

 spot in the centre of each wing. 



Among the smallest are those enemies to good 

 housewifery, the Clothes Moths, (Tinea ^} which 

 destroy cloth, fur, &c., not only by eating the fibres, 

 but by cropping them to be woven into tubes for 

 their own residence. To this tribe belong some of 

 extreme minuteness, but adorned with metallic bril- 

 liancy, like burnished brass or silver. One of the 

 most singular forms is that assigned to a small 

 genus named Plume Moths (Pterophorusf). Each 

 wing is here divided almost to the base into two 

 or three slender fingers, broadly fringed on both 

 edges, so that the Moth appears to have a fan of 

 five or six feathers on each side instead of wings. 

 The Six-cleft Plume Moth, (P. Hexadactylus,$) a 

 little creature of remarkable elegance, may often 

 be observed resting on our garden walls in the latter 

 part of summer. 



* A name of Juno, to whom the peacock was sacred : applied to these 

 Moths on account of the beautiful eye- spots frequent in this genus, 

 f Their Latin name. 



J n<rov, pleron, a wing, and <p^&, phero, to bear. 

 "E|, hex, six, and Saxri/Xaj, daktylos, a finger. 



