INGENUITY OF MOTHS. 



81 



cause, when the moth takes her occasional rests, she 

 never moves from the spot, but remains with her tail 

 thrust in amongst the eggs. We have given these 

 details from observations made in the Pare at Brus- 

 sels, in August, 1829*; and our entomological readers 

 will perceive, that though they do not disagree with 

 the facts observed by the accurate Rtjaumur, we have 

 added several particulars not mentioned by him f. 



In order to preserve some specimens of the gypsey- 

 molh, which abounds in the Netherlands, but is rare 

 in most parts of Britain, we inclosed two or three in 

 chip boxes. Upon opening these, a short time after- 

 wards, we found that one of the moths had deposited 

 a patch of eggs ; but, instead of the conical form which 

 the insect would have chosen had she been at liberty, 

 she had disposed them in the form of a wheel, of which 

 her body was the radius. This, of course, was not so 

 much to be wondered at, as it no doubt arose from her 

 want of space to proceed in the usual manner ; but we 

 deem it worthy of notice that this wheel, which was 

 about a quarter of an inch broad in the rim, was sloped 



• female pynsey moth, one-third the natural size, just finish- 

 ing her group of i-ggs. b, female gypsey moth, with its bodv 

 covered with down, c, circle of eggs covered with hair, and d, 

 conical mound of eggs covered with hair, laid by gypsey-motha 

 in contincment. 



;. R. 



|- Reaumur, Mem. ii., 101 

 F 5 



