Marvels of insect life ; a popular account of structure and habit . the daytime. The female usually rests during the day, but a quick eye may : detect her on some of the heath plants. In thatposition with the upper wings folded over the lower,so that only one pair of eye-spots shows, she looksmuch like the face of a cat or owl peering throughthe shrubs ; and it is thought that this terrifyingresemblance protects her in her exposed situationfrom the attack of birds. The body of the mothbecomes the beak of the owl or the nose of the cat,just as it may strike the beholder. As in the case of some
Marvels of insect life ; a popular account of structure and habit . the daytime. The female usually rests during the day, but a quick eye may : detect her on some of the heath plants. In thatposition with the upper wings folded over the lower,so that only one pair of eye-spots shows, she looksmuch like the face of a cat or owl peering throughthe shrubs ; and it is thought that this terrifyingresemblance protects her in her exposed situationfrom the attack of birds. The body of the mothbecomes the beak of the owl or the nose of the cat,just as it may strike the beholder. As in the case of some other moths, the femaleemperor that has recently emerged from thechrysalis gives off some subtle perfume that isfar-reaching, and will draw^ all the males of thecountryside to her. There is little doubt thatthe strongly feathered antenna; of the male are thehighly sensitive organs affected by this delicatearoma. Entomologists who wish to acquire aseries of male examples of any of the moths thatexhibit this extraordinary perception of an odour - S. Photo by] [W. llVs/. A Moth in The orderof Insectsconsistingof the butterflies andmoths did not make its appearance until a com-paratively recent (tertiarj-) period. This examplein amber is shown on the scale of twenty timeslarger than the actual size. ^ Saturnia pavonia.
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjecta, booksubjectinsects
