CHAPTER IV. 
THE LEPIDOPTERA. 
There is some advantage in commencing the description of the 
metamorphoses of insects with the Lepidoptera , for nearly every- 
body knows something about their transformations. 
No one has any hesitation in distinguishing an insect of this 
order, for its shape proclaims it to be a butterfly or a moth at 
once. 
The very name, scale-wing ( Lepidoptera ), calls up delicate and 
airy forms with elegant proportions and beautiful colouring. 
The wings, usually very large in proportion to the body, give 
that peculiar jerking flight to most of the Lepidoptera which 
attracts the attention. There are four wings, each formed by a 
double layer of colourless membrane, traversed by nervures 
which are differently arranged according to the species of the 
insect; and these delicate expansions are covered with micro- 
scopic scales fixed on like the tiles of a roof. 
The beautiful colouring of the butterfly’s wing depends upon 
the scales. This nature painting, which seems to deal with 
glaring and strongly contrasted colours, is so perfect that it 
never offends the eye. Yet, if we place certain tints in direct 
opposition, an unpleasing effect is invariably produced. Thus, 
there are many Lepidoptera with a red, yellow, or bright blue 
band crossing a black ground ; but there is a beautiful softening 
off of the intermediate tints produced by rows of diversely- 
coloured scales, which, although it escapes us in a general view, 
does away with all harshness, and conveys an excellent lesson 
to the painter. 
