HARMLESS NEIGHBOURS 165 



and white spots. The female is lighter in 

 hue, the hindwings being almost entirely 

 dull white. I have mentioned this moth, 

 although it is by no means common, because 

 I have reason to suspect that it is more 

 widely distributed than we are aware of, 

 and increased observation will extend our 

 knowledge of its favourite spots. It is only 

 by combined effort that men painfully and 

 slowly arrive at some degree of knowledge on 

 these subjects. 



No Order of Insects has so good a record 

 as the Lepidoptera. Man suffers occasionally 

 from the ravages of caterpillars, particularly 

 those of certain moths ; but apart from this, 

 his associations with these insects are 

 altogether pleasant. If we except the 

 irritation caused by the hairs of some cater- 

 pillars when carelessly handled, no butterfly 

 or moth is noxious or hurtful. On the 

 contrary, they are all agreeable to behold, 

 and many of them are exceedingly beautiful. 

 It is scarcely possible to exaggerate the 

 splendour of some exotic species, which 

 combine the richest colouring with the highest 

 metallic brilliance. The Lepidoptera may, 



