78 THE BUTTERFLY VIVARIUM. 



merides, in which the antennae of the larvae are as 

 conspicuous in the preparatory as in the perfect form. 



The antennae of larvae have sometimes a pecu- 

 liarity of structure which is very remarkable, and 

 not found in those of the perfect insect; this pecu- 

 liarity enables them to be drawn in or lengthened at 

 the will of the larva. Those of the Cossus Caterpillar, 

 for instance, according to Lyonnet, are capable of 

 being entirely withdrawn into the first joint, so that 

 it appears as though altogether deprived of this 

 appendage. 



The Mouth of most larvae is very similar in 

 structure to that of the perfect insect, with the 

 remarkable exception of the Butterfly and Moth 

 tribe, in which the mandibles of the larva entirely 

 disappear in the perfect insect, to be replaced by a 

 feeding apparatus of an entirely distinct kind. To 

 this exception may be added one of a somewhat 

 analogous description, which occurs in some few 

 Neuroptera and Diptera. 



The Trunk and Abdomen together are gene- 

 rally composed of twelve segments, occasionally 

 fourteen, but never more. In the larva of the 

 "Water Beetle the segments forming the trunk are 

 longer than the others, while in most Lepidoptera 

 they are shorter. 



