Lepidoptera
an order of insects, having the wings clothed with scales implanted in the wings, with their margins overlapping other scales; it is these, and not the wings theraselves, that are so gayly colored. The wings are four.
The mouth consists of an antlia, or long spiral proboscis or tongue, by means of which they feed on honey in the nectaries of flowers, which is their appropriate food. They undergo a complete metamorphosis, the parent generally depositing her eggs on some plant; these being hatched as minute caterpillars, at once begin to eat voraciously, increasing largely in size, and casting their skin repeatedly. On becoming full grown they pass into the chrysalis state, emerging in due time as full-grown winged insects. Formerly they were divided into three sub-orders or tribes: Butterflies, Sphinxes or Hawk-moths, and Moths, the first having club-shaped antennæ, the second having the thickest part of the antennæ toward the front, and tapering in both directions, and the third having them, if not feathery, then, becoming gradually thinner from the base to the tip. The butterflies are the the sphinxes, of less brilliant tints, fly most brightly colored, and fiy by day; and fly by day; during the twilight; the moths, normally of somber hue, are nocturnal. The last two sub-orders are now combined, and only two primary divisions recognized: (1) Rhopalocera, containing the butterflies; (2) Heterocera, comprising hawkmoths, and the moths. More than 50,000 lepidoptera are known.
Roman statesman. In 49 B. C. he held