60 HALF HOURS WITH INSECTS. [Packard. 



along the outer edge of the stripe ; a row of blackish dots 

 along a pale shade just outside of the front edge of the wing, 

 and two rows of blackish dots diverging upon the tip or apex 

 of the wing. The fringe is marked with a few dark spots. 

 The middle of the wing next the white band is darker than 

 the front edge, while a faint j'cllowish shade runs along the 

 middle of the outer half of the wing towards the tip, enclos- 

 ing a few black dots. It expands a little over half an inch. 



Should 3'oung plants be attacked by the worms, the best 

 remedy would be to shower them with soapsuds. For the 

 autumnal brood of worms the plants should be plentifully 

 showered ; and if this is not efficacious, the worms should be 

 picked off by hand, the cocoons especially. 



The Garden Leaf Roller. — One of the most intelligent 

 and industrious of our garden pests is the leaf-rolling cater- 

 pillar, which as soon as the leaves unfold in the spring 

 begins to draw them together in an ingenious manner by 

 silken threads, in order to make a rude sort of domicile 

 where it may live hidden from the sharp ej-es of its featliered 

 and insect enemies. By the first of June its presence in the 

 terminal shoots of the apple, the rose, and other shrubs, 

 together with the strawberry, may be detected by the crum- 

 pled and distorted mass of leaves at the end of the shoot, 

 or, if the strawberry plant, by the leaves being sewed 

 together in a tangled head. 



How is the following problem in mechanics to be solved ? 

 How does the tiny worm pull the leaves together, and sew 

 them into a rude sort of tube or tent ? The little creature 

 begins by spinning a thread and attaching one end to some 

 fixed point, and then attaching the other to tiie loose leaf. 

 By means of the powerful muscular movements of the front 

 part of the body, and like a sailor, except that our caterpil- 

 lar uses its teeth (it is doubtful if the fore legs assist in the 

 operation) it hauls away on the rope of silk, slowly pulling 

 it up to the desired point, where it is held in place by a new 



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