Talk about exquisite creatures! These little day moths,
not much larger than the largest bumble bees, had some of their
gaudiest competitors of moonlight and darkness outdone.
The head was small and pointed, with big eyes, a long tongue,
clubbed antennae, and a blood-red nose. The thorax above was
covered with long, silky, olive-green hair; the top of the abdomen
had half an inch band of warm tan colour, then a quarter of an inch
band of velvety red wine, then a band nearer the olive of the
shoulders. The males had claspers covered with small red-wine
feathers tan tipped. The thorax was cream-coloured below and the
under side of the abdomen red wine crossed with cream-coloured
lines at each segment.
The front wings had the usual long, silky hairs. They were of
olive-green shading into red, at the base, the costa was red, and
an escalloped band of red bordered them. The intervening space was
transparent like thinnest isinglass, and crossed with fine red
veins. The back wings were the same, only the hairs at the base
were lighter red, and the band at the edge deeper in colour.
Pages:
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212