550 MOTHS. 
country, and may be seen very plentifully in fields, roads, or woods, when the 
beauty of its colouring never fails to attract admiration. 
The caterpillar of the Peacock Butterfly feeds upon the stinging-nettle, in 
common with others of the same genus, and therefore the insect is worthy 
of our protection. Its general shape and appearance may be gathered from 
a reference to the illustration ; its common colour is black, st.dded with tiny 
white points. The chrysalis is one of those which hang suspended during 
the time of their nonage, and is frequently found to be infested with the 
ichneumon-fly. 
The beautiful SCARLET ADMIRAL, so well known by the broad scarlet 
stripes that are drawn over the wings ; the LARGE and SMALL TORTUISE- 
SHELL BUTTERFLIES; the COMMA BUTTERFLY, so called from a comina- 
shaped white mark under the wings, and the rare and beautiful CAMBERWELL 
BEAULY, are all British members of this genus. 
DEATH’S-HEAD MOTH.—(Acherontia Atrofos.) 
_ THE second great division of the Lepidoptera is that of the MOTHS, dis- 
tinguishable by means of the pointed tips of their antennze, which are often 
furnished with a row of projections on either side, like the teeth of a comb ; 
and in the males are sometimes supplied with branching appendages. 
The first family of the Moths is the Sphingidze, a group which contains a 
great number of swift-winged insects, popularly and appropriately calicd 
Hawk-moths, from the strength and speed of their flight. In many instances 
the proboscis is of great length, sometimes equalling the length of the entire 
body, and in such instances it is found that the insect is able to f ed while 
on the wing, balancing itself before a flower, hovering on tremulous wing, 
and extracting the sweets by suction. 
One of the commonest snecies of this genus is the LIME HAWK-MOTH 
Smerinthus Tilie), so called because the larva feeds on the,leaves of the 
