HABITS OF THE MOTH. 
11 
flowers were abundant. But fruits of all kinds as they ripen are re- 
sulted to, and tigs, apples, peaches, plums, apricots, grapes, persimmons, 
and even melons, are often greatly injured. 
( 'arefully examined, tbe 
tongue is seen to be armed 
along its terminal half 
with stout and sharp 
spines projecting for- 
ward from the upper sur- 
face and increasing in 
density toward the tip, Fl(Ji 7._c tto.n Moth: <t. with wings expanded; b, with wings 
which is beset with them ,: " ] 1 xtu 1 ■ ltil, ->- ) 
on all sides. It is by means of this spinous tip of the tongue that the 
moth works a hole in these fruits, and is thus enabled to absorb the 
more liquid portions. Apple pomace La especially attractive to them. 
We have, in fact, been quite astonish, d at the perforating power of 
the proboscis as exemplified in the puncturing of hard, unripe pears. 
We have known such to be 
punctured quite deeply, the 
effect of the pond are being to 
soften and discolor the fruit 
for some distance around. 
The accompanying illustra- #/ 
tion (Fig. 8), which gives an 
enlarged view of the partly ' 
COiled probOSOiS and a Still WtO. ft -Pkohoscis of Ai.ktia: a, the coiled proboscis, 
_ .i _ magnified about 10 diameters; b, tn> of do., more highly 
more highly magnified \ lew p*. Pttrpuxfe d*£) 
of its tip, will explain more clearly than words its adaptation to such 
puncturing. The stiff and sharp spines are, in fact, admirably suited 
for rasping and lacerating the pulp and thus setting free Its juice. This 
puncturing habit Is possessed by several other moths, and notably by 
an Australian species (Ophiderei fuUonicQ ), w hich is very injurious to 
Oranges, and the structure of the proboscis of which has been well illus- 
trated by Mr. Kiinckel.* A number of our own North American species 
of Noetimhe likewise have the tip of the proboscis more or less spinose, 
indicating that they also possess the power of extracting juices from 
other sources than the nectaries of flowers. 
TIME ELAPSING FROM ONE GENERATION TO ANOTHER. 
This varies according to temperature, and therefore according to 
season. There is increasing activity and acceleration in development 
from the first appearance till July, and thenceforth decreasing activity 
and retardation in development till frost. Thus in midsummer the 
whole cycle of individual life, from the hatching to procreation, may 
occupy less than three weeks; while in spring and late autumn it may 
* Coinptes Reiidus (French Academy), August 30, 1875. 
