92 EVENINGS AT THE MICKOSCOPE. 



YoU ■will say that wliat I am about to show you is a 

 lovely object ; but for its right display I must use a 

 low magnifying power, — not higher than a hundred 

 diameters, — with the Lieberkuhn to reflect the light of 

 the mirror full upon the surface. It is a small frag- 

 ment cut from the wing of Pajpilio Paris, showing 

 several rows of the scales in their (natural arrangement. 

 The gemmeous radiance of the glittering green scales 

 on the black ones, by which they are environed, glares 

 out with a splendid effect ; and what is more interest- 

 ing, you can trace the manner in which they are set, 

 — those of each row slightly overlapping the bases 

 of another row, like slates on a roof, — and also the 

 mode in which they are inserted. The clear horn-col- 

 oured membrane of the wing is seen raised in shallow 

 transverse steps (if I may use such a term) so that if 

 it were divided longitudinally, the edge would ap- 

 pear cut into saw-like teeth. Along the margins of 

 these ridges are set n^juaute sockets, which are very 

 distinctly seen, where the scales have been displaced ; 

 in these the tiny footstalks of the scales are inserted. 



The little Beetles which we are familiar with under 

 the name of "Weevils, characterised by their long slender 

 snouts, at the end of which they carry curiously folding 

 antennae, and which constitute the family, GurcuUonidcB, 

 are in many cases clothed with scales, to which they 

 owe their colours and patterns. Several of our native 

 species display a green or silvery lustre, which under 

 the microscope is seen to be produced by oval scales. 

 But these are eclipsed by the splendour of many trop- 

 ical species ; especially that well-known one from South 

 America, which is called the Diamond Beetle, and 

 scientifically Entimus imperiaUs, from its unparalleled 

 magnificence. 



