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 1s 
given below :— 
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 ? 
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 
