CHAPTER IV. 



The Moth. 



Date of appearance. Size. Color. Markings. 



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The full-grown insect {somewhat 

 enlarrjed.) 



If there is any otlier insect whicii 

 yon can get more easil}- tlian the 

 tent-caterpillar, yon may write 

 about it for yonr dnes. Perh.aps 

 you liave already seen the Mourn 

 ing-cloak butterfly, and it may 

 have an interest for yon. I am 

 sure you admired the pretty dark- 

 purple mantle with its cream-colored border. All winter this but- 

 terfly lived in some protected nook, and it was one of the very flrst 

 messengers of spring. It lays its eggs in clusters around a twig of 

 an elm, a po})lar, or a willow tree as soon as the leaves appear. If 

 you do not And the eggs, you will probably have no difficulty in 

 seeing the larvae or caterpillars later in the season. You may look 

 for them about the middle or latter part of May. They are black 

 spiny creatures dotted with white and have a row of red spots down 

 the middle of the back. Take some of them home, feed them well 

 and they will, I think, tell you the rest of their story. 



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•X- 



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Are you still looking for wild flowers? A spray of " Shepherd's 



jMirse'' peeped up at me to-day and I wondered how many Junior 



Naturalists have seen one in blossom this year. It seems to me that 



every letter you write should contain one paragraph about spring 



plants. 



ALICE G. McCLOSKEY. 



614 



