56 AUSTRALASIAN 



work its way into the small corolla-tubes of some flowers and 

 so reach the nectaries at bottom. A pair of these wings has- 

 been shown in Fig. 7 to illustrate the arrangement of the cells 

 or subdivisions of the membrane, upon referring to which it 

 will be seen that the two wings, fully expanded, look as if they 

 were stitched together for a certain length. This apparent 

 stitching is a line of about twenty hooklets upon the front 

 edge of the under wing, of which a greatly magnified view is 

 given below : — 



«^^I^P^ 



Fig. 14— HOOKLETS OF WINGS. 



Nine of the hooklets are shown in the lower diagram, while 

 the upper one shows, on a still larger scale, the last hooklet of 

 the row, and a line of strong bristly hairs, which furnishes the 

 margin of the wing where the hooklets cease. 



Mr. Cheshire explains that 



"These four wings, though individually small, collectively present 

 sufficient surface for a rapid flight., which is greatly aided by a 

 beautiful arrangement for locking the two pairs into one. The front 

 wing is folded under at its posterior edge, and as the wing is advanced 

 to bring it into position for flying this fold catches into a line of 

 hooks from twenty to twenty-three in number, which turn upwards 

 from the front edge of the back wing." 



Can anything more admirable than this arrangement be 

 imagined 1 



THE LEGS. 



The legs, six in number, spring, like the wings, from the 

 thorax, which is the chief seat of muscular power. It is, 

 indeed, one mass of muscles, with the exception of the narrow 



