CLASS I. INSECTA: ORDER 4. LEPIDOPTERA. 



575 



for though it possesses no weapons, and the bees are well armed, they never appear to attack 



the intruder. This species is com- 

 mon in Europe. 



The Lime-Tree Sphinx, Sphinx 

 tilice, has the wings denticulated and 

 angular; it is nocturnal, and flies 

 heavily. It is common upon elms, 

 horse-chestnuts, and especially limes, 

 where the caterpillars of the species 

 abide. 



A considerable group of insects 

 belonging to this tribe have trans- 

 parent wings. Among them is the 

 Humming-bird Moth, Sesia pelas- 

 gus^ often seen at evening in our 

 gardens during the months of June 

 and July, hovering like a humming- 

 bird over the flowers and sucking 

 THE LiME-THEE SPHINX. their uectar with its long tube. 



THE PSYCHID^. 



This is a family of small moths, the larvae of which form portable cases for their protection, in 



which they undergo their transformations. 



THE BOMBYCINA. 



This includes some of the largest species 

 of the order, and among them the Silk- 

 AvoRM Moth, Bomhyx, mori. This import- 

 ant insect is a native of the north of China; 

 and a great portion of the supplies of silk 

 for Europe and America are still derived 

 from that country. It was introduced into 

 the south of Europe in the sixth century of 

 the Christian era, when some of the eggs 

 were brought to Constantinople, whence 

 the insects have gradually spread into Italy 

 and France — in both which countries th& 

 cultivation of the silk- worm is an import- 

 ant branch of industry. When the insect 

 is full grown it quits its food, and betakes 

 itself to some convenient spot, where, after spinning a few threads in various directions, it sus- 

 pends itself in the midst of them ; and by continually twisting its body, it gradually envelops 

 itself in a thick silken cocoon. By reeling this carefully off, a delicate unbroken thread, some- 

 times exceeding one thousand one hundred feet in length, is obtained. The silk-worm is usually 

 fed upon the white mulberry, Morus multicaulis, though it will cat lettuce and the leaves of the 

 maple, oak, pear, and apple-tree. They are easily cultivated, and the raising of silk received a 

 great deal of attention in this country a few years ago. But labor is so much cheaper in China,. 

 Italy, France, and other countries, that silk can be produced there at less cost than in the United 

 States. This pursuit is, therefore, nearly abandoned. The value of all the silk produced annually 

 throughout the world amounts to hundreds of millions of dollars. 



The Arrindy Silk-Worm of India, B. Cynthia, furnishes a silk which is said to possess aston- 

 ishing durability. The caterpillar feeds upon the castor- oil plant, and has recently been introduced 



THE HUMMING-BIRD MOTH. 



