CLASSIFICATION. 261 



These insects belong; to an order called Lepidoptera. 

 which means scaly wings ; for the mealy powder with which 

 their wings are covered, when seen under a powerful micro- 

 scope, is found to consist of little scales, lapping over each 

 other like the scales of fishes, and implanted into the skin 

 of the wings by short stems. The body of these insects 

 is also more or less covered with the same kind of scales, 

 together with hair or down in some species. The tongue 

 consists of two tubular threads placed side by side, and thus 

 forming an instrument for suction, which, when not in use, 

 is rolled up spirally beneath the head, and is more or less 

 covered and concealed on each side by a little scaly or hairy 

 jointed feeler. The shoulders or wing-joints of the fore 

 wings are covered, on each side, by a small triangular piece, 

 forming a kind of epaulette, or shoulder-cover ; and between 

 the head and the thorax is a narrow piece, clothed with 

 scales or hairs sloping backwards, which may be called the 

 collar. The wings have a few branching veins, 3 generally 

 forming one or two large meshes on the middle. The legs 

 are six in number, though only four are used in walking by 

 some butterflies, in which the first pair are very short and 

 are folded like a tippet on the breast ; and the feet are five- 

 jointed, and are terminated, each, by a pair of claws. 



It would be difficult, and indeed impossible, to arrange 

 the Lepidopterous insects according to their forms, appear- 

 ance, and habits, in the caterpillar state, because the cater- 

 pillars of many of them are as yet unknown ; and therefore 

 it is found expedient to classify them mostly according to the 

 characters furnished by them in the winged state. 



We may first divide the Lepidoptera into three great 

 sections, called butterflies, hawk-moths, and moths, corre- 



[ 3 The systematists of the present day determine genera, and even species, by 

 the peculiar and various modifications of these veins. The main veins are called 

 nervures, the branches nervules, and the whole system Pterology. The French 

 and the Germans differ as to the names of the distinct veins, so that, unless a 

 student knows to which of the schools a describer belongs, he would be apt to be 

 misled. — MORRIS.] 



