FOSSIL LEPIDOPTERA. 



69 



ALUCITA HEXADACTYLA. 



(.Natural Size and Magnified.) 



PTEROl'HORHS PENTADACTYLUS. 



(Natural Size ana Magnified.) 



many species measuring nearly an inch across the wings. Many of the larvae of the Coleophoridw 

 form cases on various plants, like the Pst/chidce ; those of the Elacliistidm live in the stems of grasses. 

 Those of many groups of Tinece live in blotches or galleries made in the interior of the leaves of different 

 plants. Among these are the 

 Nepticulidce, to which family 

 belongs the smallest Moth 

 known (Nepticula microthe- 

 riella), which measures only 

 about the eighth of an inch 

 across the wings, which are 

 purplish - brown, with a 

 whitish mark beyond the 

 middle. The caterpillar 

 feeds in the leaves of the 

 nut, &c., and twenty or 

 thirty mines may often be 

 seen in a single leaf, accord- 

 ing to Mr. Stainton. The 

 perfect insect has never, so 

 far as I know, been observed 

 at large, on account of its 

 very small size. All the 

 specimens in collections are 

 bred. 



The Plume Moths 



(Pterophoridce) may be known from all other Moths by the fore wings being cleft into two distinct 

 feathers, and the hind wings into three. Most of the species are brown or grey, but the commonest, 

 the White Plume Moth, found in gardens, is nearly pure white Jt expands rather more than an inch 

 across the wings, and is a very delicatelv-formed insect, with long slender legs. The only British repre- 

 sentative of the family, Alucitidce (Alucita hexadactyla, the Twenty-plume Moth), is a small brownish 

 insect measuring three-quarters of an inch across the wings, each of which is split into six separate 

 feathers. It is common in gardens, <fcc., and the caterpillar feeds on the buds of the honeysuckle. 



FOSSIL BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS. 



On account of their fragile nature, very few Lepidoptera have been found in a fossil state. 

 Some entomologists are said to have described fragments of fossil leaves as the remains of Butterflies, 

 and there is much difference of opinion about other supposed Lepidopterous remains, which are 

 undoubtedly those of insects, some authors maintaining that they are Lepidoptera, while others refer 

 them to the orders Neuroptera or Homoptera. Consequently, as regards remains admitted by all to 

 be those of Lepidoptera, it is not surprising that different entomologists refer them to different 

 genera, and even families. The oldest reputed Lepidopterous fossil is Mr. Butler's Palceontina 

 oolitica, but the position of this fossil has been questioned by some authors, though many consider 

 it as Lepidopterous. Mr. Scudder, Avho has paid special attention to fossil insects, admits only 

 ten species of fossil Butterflies (all of the Tertiary period), one American, and the rest European, 

 which he refers to the families Nymphalidce (Satyrince and Nymphalince), Papilionidce (Pierince 

 and Papilionince), and Hesperiidce. Most of these have been obtained from Aix, in Provence, but 

 one or two have been found in Croatia and in Western Germany. Scudder regards the nine 

 European species as exhibiting decided Indo-Malayan and Tropical American affinities, one only being 

 related to African, and one to existing South European forms. Concerning fossil Moths still less 

 has been published ; nevertheless, several species have been recorded, belonging to nearly all the 

 leading groups. The oldest of these (Sphinx snefleni) is from the Solenhofen Slate, as is also 

 the doubtful Butterfly (Palceontina oolitica) to which we have already alluded. 



W. F. KlRBY. 



