452 INSECTS AT HOME. 



a sliort time before hatching. The yoimg caterpillar feeds for 

 two, three, or four weeks, rarely longer, and then spins to- 

 gether the edges of a gooseberry leaf, having first taken the 

 precaution of making the leaf fast to its twig by numerous 

 silken cables, which prevent the possibility of its falling when 

 dehiscence takes place in the autumn. In the little cradle 

 thus fabricated the infant caterpillar sleeps as securely as the 

 sailor in his hammock. Snow-storms ^nd wintry winds are 

 matters of indifference to him, but no sooner have the goose- 

 berry bushes begun to assume their livery of green in the 

 spring, than instinct informs him that food is preparing to 

 satisfy his appetite, so he cuts an opening in his pensile 

 cradle, emerges, and begins to eat. 



' The full-fed caterpillar commonly rests in a straight pos- 

 ture, lying parallel with the branch ; but when annoyed, he 

 elevates his back, and tucks in his head until it is brought 

 into contact with the abdominal claspers. If the annoyance 

 be continued, he drops from his food, hanging by a thread, and 

 rarely falling to the ground ; but when this is the case, he is 

 bent double, and remains a long time in that posture.' 



In spite of the very conspicuous colouring of this caterpillar, 

 it is not eaten by birds, seem.ing to be distasteful to them. It 

 is also distasteful to toads. If one of these larvae be placed 

 before a toad, it will be snapped up as soon as it moves, but 

 will at once be rejected, the toad moving off as if disgusted 

 with a creature on which it hoped to feed. The coloiu: of this 

 larva is creamy white, spotted and striped with orange, and 

 having a number of bold black spots and stripes, as seen in the 

 illustration. 



The pupa is smooth and black, with a slight tinge of red, 

 banded with yellow, so that the caterpillar, the pupa, and the 

 perfect insect have all the same colouring. The Moth appears 

 in the middle of summer. 



The family of the Hybernidse is represented by the Mottled 

 Umber Moth {Hibernia defoliaria), the male of which is shown 

 on Woodcut XLIX. Fig. 3. 



The colour of the upper wings is very pale brown, across which 

 are drawn two bold brown bands, as seen in the illustration. The 

 .under wings are paler brown than the upper, and are sprinkled 



