THE PEBBLE HOOK-TIP MOTH. 541 



the Continent this moth is exceedingly plentiful, and is very destructive among the 

 fruit-trees, devouring the leaves and tender shoots as they spring forth in the early part 

 of the year. The general color of the male is dusky brown, mottled with darker tints ; 

 the hinder wings are also brown, but of a paler hue. 



Before proceeding further, it may be as well to observe that the wings of insects are 

 very remarkable organs, almost anomalous in their character, and having little apparent 

 analogy with the corresponding members in the higher animals. In the birds the wings 

 are simply the development of the first pair of limbs, which are thus sacrificed to 

 terrestrial locomotion, and in the bats and flying-fishes the so-called wings are still 

 modified from the limbs. But in the insects the full number of limbs is preserved, so 



ARGENT AND SABLE MOTH. Melanippe hastata. 



V-MOTH. Halla Vauarla. SWALLOW-TAIL MOTH. Ouraptetfx sambucarla. (With two ipecimens of larva.) 

 PEPPERED MOTH. B/ston betularia. WINTER-MOTH. Cheimutobla brumata. 



(With larva and wingless female.) 



that the wings are to be attributed to another source. The nearest analogy to these 

 organs seems to be found in the flying dragon, the little lizard which has already been 

 described, and in which the ribs are widely expanded, carrying with them the skin of 

 the sides, and partly answer the purpose for which wings were intended. But even in 

 these curious creatures the analogy fails, inasmuch as the expanded ribs are not 

 furnished with sets of muscles by which they can be moved, and the only aerial office 

 that they can perform is the sustentation of their owner for a very brief period, with- 

 out any capability of renewing the impetus, and with but trifling power of altering the 

 course. 



On the last illustration is a group containing specimens of several families of moths, 

 many of which contain numerous species, and some of which are very small and 



