THE YOUNG 



themselves through the day. 



The Geometrina are so called from a pecu- 

 liarity in the larva}, which generally have only 

 ten legs, causing them in walking to bring up 

 the anal segments to those bearing the true 

 legs, thus causing the body to hump ; the 

 entire process bearing a supposed resem- 

 blance to the operation of measuring the 

 surface over which they are travelling. Many 

 of the larvae have a strong resemblance to a 

 twig of the plant on which they feed, and 

 they have a habit of stretching out when not 

 feeding, holding to their place only by the 

 last two pair of fore legs, and thus increasing 

 the protective resemblance of their markings 

 by the attitude they assume. The insects are 

 mostly slender bodied, with rather ample 

 wings, which they extend out flat when at 

 rest. If disturbed, or in walking, they raise 

 them over their backs like a butterfly at rest, 

 The Pyralidina are sometimes divided into 

 more than one group. They are rather 

 heterogenous, when all in one. Some of them 

 seem closely allied to the Noctuina, others to 

 the Geometrina, while some genera are very 

 distinct. The Crambites are insects living in 

 grassy places, and folding their rather ample 

 wings in such a manner, that the novice is 

 surprised to see the slender looking moth, 

 with scarcely any wings visible, look so large 

 when flying. Living among grass this pecu- 

 liarity must be a great protection to them. 

 The GalUridce are noticeable from the larvae 

 feeding on honey in beehives, or the nests of 

 humble bees. The Eudorea in the same divi- 

 sion of the group, are, when at rest, like a 

 wedge, or a long narrow triangle. They are 

 all much alike, and several new species have 

 been detected recently. In another portion 

 of the group (Hydrocampida) we find aquatic 

 larvae, living under water, either in a case 

 filled with air, or breathing by means of 

 branchiae. 



The Tortricina are small moths, but a very 

 distinct group. The larvae have always 16 

 legs, and feed in concealment, rolling or fold- 

 ng up the leaf of their food plant, drawing 



NATUHAL1ST. 15 7 



together the terminal shoot, or living in the 

 I stems or roots. The perfect insects generally 

 | have a very truncate appearance, the fore- 

 ; wings of some species being as blunt as if a 

 i piece had actually been cut off. They are 

 i generally dull colored, though some are 

 brighter. The Green Tortrix (T. viridana) 

 which is sometimes very destructive to oaks, 

 is bright green, without markings. 0. literana. 

 another widely distributed species, is pale 

 green with black spots, many species are 

 yellow and orange, but dull hues mostly 

 prevail. 



The Tineina are all small species, and the 

 group includes the very tiniest of the order. 

 The clothes moths, and other destru ctive 

 species belong this division, but many of 

 them are comparatively harmless. The larvae 

 of some make a long narrow mine underneath 

 the skin of a leaf, living thus in concealment. 

 Others make a blotch on the leaf, leaving the 

 upper skin almost like a blister. Some 

 species make a case like that of the caddis 

 fly, and. live within it, others, as Tinea tapet- 

 zella, form a gallery in the substance they are 

 devouring. One of the commonest house 

 moths is Endromis fenestrella, which may be 

 found in all its stages all the year round. 

 The larva is not very choice in its food, and 

 the insect is almost as abundant out of doors. 

 The genus Hyponomeuia has gregarious larvae, 

 which also spin a cocoon, and we have seen a 

 mass of the cocoons of the Spindle Ermine 

 H. EvonymeUus that contained many hundreds 

 of pupa. 



The Plume moths (Pteruphorina) are peculiar 

 from the hind wing being divided into three 

 distinct feathers, while the forewing is more 

 or less deeply cleft. P. pentadaclyhis the white 

 plume is, when well set, a beautiful object, 

 being pure white, and each division of the wings 

 having very long fringes. The larva feeds 

 on convolvolus, and the species is generally 

 common. The last group is called Alucitina, 

 and only one species occurs in Britain, Alucita 

 polydactyla, the twenty plume moth. Each 

 wing is divided into six distinct plumes, so 



