136 



WILD NATURE'S WAYS. 



MIMICKING MOTH ON ROSE-LEAF. 



Many small moths mimic grass seeds, and 

 thereby, no doubt, frequently deceive even the 

 sharpeyesof hungry birds. The example depicted 

 in the illustration opposite is very difficult to find 

 when it has flown a few yards away, and alighted 

 amongst thousands of ripe grass seeds, which it 

 matches to a nicety in coloration. 



The plume moth is evidently not counted 

 amongst the desirable edible trifles which insect- 

 eating birds hunt after all day long, for it suspends 

 its conspicuous body in all sorts of avian haunts 

 without appearing to suffer harm through the 

 publicity in which it indulges. 



