THE MOTH'S. 
4 $8 
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Genus III. — Phalanx. ’Phe Moths. 
The moths are the mod numerous genus hitherto 
known, either in the animal or vegetable world : Linnxus 
lias enumerated about four hundred and fixty fpecies, 
and probably is far fhort of the real number. They are 
more frequent in warm and dry climates than in ours ; 
and they are more plentiful in South than North Britain. 
In the former country, feventy different kinds have been 
colle&ed ; While in the latter, fcarcely half that number 
have yet been noticed. The characters by which this 
numerous genus is diftinguifhed are the following : The 
antenncc fetaceous, diinmifhing in thicknefs from the bafe 
to the extremity ; their wings, when at reft, are in gene- 
ral folded down ; and they fly during the night. The race 
of moths have been further fubdivided into eight different 
families. The firft, called the attaci, have the wings hang- 
ing downwards, and fpread open ; and the antennae are 
either peftinated or fetaceous : The fccond are named 
bombices, and have their wings covering the body hori- 
zontally, with pe&inated and fetaceous antennae : The 
third family comprehends the no&use, whofe wings are 
incumbent, and the antennae fetaceous : Thofe of the 
fourth tribe are termed geometr*. and have their wings, 
when at reft, extended horizontally : The tortices are 
diftinguifhed by obfcure wings, the exterior margins 
forming a curve : The pyralides have the inner margins 
of the wings laid one over the other : In the tine*, the 
wings 
