MEANS OF DEFENCE OF* CATERPILLARS. 189 



cock's eye, which must be conspicuous to birds from 

 its dark hhick colour, prettily dotted with white, aided 

 besides by the gregarious habit of feeding in a 

 colony of several dozens together ; but if a thrush or 

 a sparrow pounces upon one of them, the formidable 

 spines must present an obstacle somewhat unex- 

 pected, perhaps, to the making of a comfortable 

 meal. The ass, indeed, seems to relish the piquant 

 stimulus of the thorns or thistles, and sheep, goats, 

 and deer will browse on the still sharper leaves of 

 holly*; but we think none of our soft-billed birds 

 would venture on a thorny caterpillar. Madame 

 Merian says " that the spines of the caterpillar of 

 Urania Leiliis are as hard as iron wiref." Abbot 

 tells us that many American caterpillars sting like a 



Thorny hairs of caterpillars, a a a, spiny caterpillar, from 

 i\ladrtme Merian. bb, Vanessa lo. c, spines, magnified. 



Wiihering, Bot. Arraiigemetit. Note on Ilex aquifoUum, 

 f Merian, Insect. Surinam, xxix. 



M 5 



