70 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



to be afterwards ; and the long legs compactly gathered together under the winglets, 

 occupying the least space possible. The external loop on the chrysalid, in which the 

 proboscis, or sucking tube, generally called "tongue," is partly contained, interested 

 me the most, so I gave special attention to it. 



Upon removing the outer scale of the loop — which has often been compared to the 

 handle of a pitcher, and to which it bears a striking resemblance — I found that the 

 proboscis within was double. It leaves the head and reaches about two-thirds the length 

 of the chrysalid in the loop, where it touches and is united to the covering of the 

 abdomen ; here it is doubled back upon itself, not sharply, but with an open curve, 

 which produces that knob at the lower end of the handle. It then presses closely to the 

 under, or inner side of the descending portion till it reaches the head, where it passes 

 inward to the body of the moth, whence it proceeds downward again, under the folded 

 legs and winglets of the moth to its full length of four and a half or five inches, tapering 

 gradually but perceptibly from base to apex. 



If such a chrysalid was broken open when newly transformed from the caterpillar, it 

 would be found to be an unorganized fluid mass, seemingly held together only by the 

 outer integuments — which parted so freely from what was inside, when matured — and 

 upon which, even at that time, is imprinted all the external outlines of the coming moth, 

 and from which the internal organical structure of the future solid body seems to radiate, 

 and take on form and consistency. What a wonderful transformation is herein brought 

 about by time and favourable conditions ! From an unorganized fluid, to a diversified 

 and complicated organism, adapted to a vigorous, active life. And the sucking tube, so 

 delicately and yet so powerfully constructed, that the creature can extend it to its full 

 length of five inches, or roll it up into a coil at its pleasure, not the diameter of a five 

 cent piece. And yet more wonderful if we go back to the egg from which it all came, and 

 within which lay "the power and the potency" for producing all that was to follow. 

 " Never deviating from its course, but always producing a being like the parent." The 

 proboscis is constructed of two longitudinal pieces with a groove on the inner side of each, 

 which forms the cavity through which the moth takes its nourishment. These two pieces 

 are firmly held together side by side by means of interlacing fibres, which yet admit of 

 elasticity to the tube and allow the cavity to expand when food is passing through it, and 

 may be used by muscular pressure in assisting to force it into the gullet. "What wonder- 

 ful adaptations of means to an end are to be observed in nature for the production of 

 organs suited to the requirements of the creatures using them. One can at times see 

 something like the exercise of the inventive faculty in evading or overcoming obstacles 

 in the way of reaching the end required, when these are somewhat out of the ordinary, and 

 with admirable success ; impressing the mind with the thought that there must be Eome- 

 where, intelligent direction and supervision for the accomplishing of it. 



THE PREPARATION OF SPECIMENS FOR THE EXHIBITION OF 

 LIFE-HISTORIES IN THE CABINET. 



By Dwight Brainerd, Montreal. 



My brother and I arrange our cases in a rather peculiar way, and were complimented 

 by being asked to describe it for the " Report." 



The point that bothered us, was to break the lines ordinarily found in a drawer. 

 We have four sizes of cardboard oblongs, cut proportionately, and use them instead of 

 the common name labels. They are placed above each species, should be about half as 

 long again as the wing span, and contain the bleached wings, frass and eggs corresponding 

 to the name across their left hand margin. (See Plate). 



