THE ENTOMOLOGISTS 
WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER. 
No. 198.] 
STATHMOPODA. 
At page 99 of the ‘ Accentuated List 
of the British Lepidoptera’ we read as 
follows: — 
“ Slalhmo'poda, CTczO/jCog, a balance, 
the foot : the insect in repose 
extends its hind legs in a horizontal 
position. 
“ Pedel'la, pes, the foot ; referring to 
the same peculiarity.” 
After duly considering the above 
passage we challenge any one of our 
readers to form any idea of the pecu- 
liarity referred to. 
The hind legs are extended hori- 
zontally, — so are those of a gnat when 
it is crawling up the window ; the 
anterior and middle legs support the 
gnat, whilst the hind legs are held up 
and balanced in the air. 
Linnaeus, who first named the in- 
sect, and who selected the denomina- 
tion of Pedella, has given a diagnosis 
and a description of the insect. In 
the latter he says, “ Pedes postici hori- 
zontaliter exteusi, spinosi but in the 
diagnosis he says, “ Pedibus posticis 
transverse extensis;” and the word 
[Price Irf. 
transverse has a meaning which hori- 
zonlaliler wants. 
In point of fact, the mode of pro- 
ceeding is this : — the hind legs of Stalh- 
mopoda pedella, instead of being al- 
lowed to remain in what we should 
call their natural position, are doubled 
under and stuck out sideways, pro- 
jecting nearly at right angles on each 
side between the anterior and middle 
legs. The moth then walks on all 
fours, with its gaily coloured hind legs 
stuck out sideways for show: if it 
should feel that it wants a little extra 
leg-power to overcome some obstacle 
dowu comes first one hind leg aud 
then the other, and it walks a few 
steps on all sixes, but directly the 
obstacle is surmounted the hind legs 
relapse into what is really their natural 
position. 
They must have strong muscles to 
be able to repose with their legs in 
that position, as it is no joke to ex- 
tend one’s arms at right angles even 
for half an hour, and these creatures 
will sit with their legs stretched out, 
without ever resting them, for twelve 
hours at a time. 
A hundred years have elapsed since 
SATURDAY, JULY 21, 1860. 
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