186 APPLE-TREE CATERPILLAR MODE OF ITS HATCHING. 



solve and wash off this glutinous matter, it softens it, so that it 

 can readily be indented by the finger nail, whenever it is wet by 

 rain or dew. And when thus softened, birds frequently pick 

 into it, forming irregular openings in its surface, as represented 

 at the lower part of the figure in the foregoing cut. They proba- 

 bly suppose it to be the chrysalis of a moth, and that they will 

 enjoy a dainty repast on reaching the inside; but on coming to 

 the outer ends of the eggs and finding how tough and compacted 

 together they are, they desist, never destroying any of the eggs 

 that I have noticed. 



These eggs are deposited upon the twigs the fore part of July, 

 and remain through the autumn and winter, and until the latter 

 part of April and the beginning of May, when the young cater- 

 pillars hatch from them. Thus during ten of the twelve months 

 of each year these insects repose in their egg state. They always 

 hatch in wet or at least damp weather, when the thick covering 

 of glutinous matter in which they are enveloped is soft, so that 

 they gnaw a passage through it with ease. If it were not thus 

 softened the infantile worms would be wholly unable to work 

 their way through it. If a twig containing one of these belts ol 

 eggs be brought into a stove room where the atmosphere is con- 

 stantly dry, scarcely a half dozen of the worms, if any, will be 

 able to come forth from their nest. And this glutinous matter 

 thus softened, forms a store of nourishment for the worms when 

 they first hatch. They remain clustered together upon its sur- 

 face and feeding upon it, for one or two days, until they have 

 acquired strength to travel away and forage for themselves. 

 Thus more or less of this matter is consumed, and 

 the belt of eggs now presents the appearance shown 

 in the accompanying figure, its surface not smooth 

 and shining as before, but rough and ragged, with 

 the white ends of the eggs exposed to view, at least 

 in places, and each egg showing a smal] perfora- 

 tion in its end through which the worm made its 

 exit. 



The infantile worms having fed upon the matter which en- 

 velopes the eggs until they have obtained sufficient strength for 

 the journey, move down the limb one after another, each spin- 



