32 THE STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE 



ground that the snow covers them with its warm- 

 ing mantle ; and what is more, in certain cases 

 they so closely resemble the winter buds and 

 bursting leaves of the new year that they must 

 sometimes deceive their prowling foes of the early 

 spring. 



Shortly after it again appears in the spring and 

 has fed on the tender buds and just opening leaves, 

 it moults again, usually upon the shelf of its 

 hibernaculum, but no longer devours its skin, as 

 it quits the immediate neighborhood. It now 

 changes its livery as well and is a most extraor- 

 dinary looking object, withal very conspicuous. 

 Darli and light green and cream color strive for 

 the mastery and leave it streaked and blotched, so 

 that it bears no inconsiderable resemblance, in 

 color at least, to the droppings of some birds, a 

 circumstance which doubtless serves it as some 

 sort of protection. Its body is humped and the 

 bosses bear tubercles which give it a somewhat 

 repulsive aspect ; especially a pair a little behind 

 the head are raised aloft, thickly studded with 

 prominences, the effect of which is heightened by 

 the creature's habit of arching this part of the 

 body, bending its head to the ground and raising 

 aloft its hinder part, also studded with roughened 



