THE LACKEY-MOTH. 39 



with an accuracy of the most marvellous cha- 

 racter, in a close spiral line upon the twig. 

 The cement employed by the insect in uniting 

 her eggs, and in varnishing them over, is so 

 hard as to serve the purpose of a covering, 

 which admirably casts off the rain, and preserves 

 the eggs free from injury by the elements all the 

 winter long. Many eggs are simply glued on 

 irregularly upon the stems and leaves of plants, 

 their shells or outer coating, together with the 

 protecting varnish, being sufficient to preserve 

 them from the inclemencies of the weather ; but 

 some are piled together with the most striking 

 regularity, in regular columns of eggs. 



In addition to these, it is proper to state, that 

 some insects lay their eggs in the body of the 

 young of others. Of these, those which are most 

 dreaded by the insect tribe are the little but 

 terrible flies, called Ichneumons. They are so 

 called because in their actions they agree with the 

 popular account of those of the ichneumons of 

 Egypt, which were venerated as the destroyers of 

 the eggs of serpents and crocodiles. " Such," say 

 Messrs. Kirby and Spence, " is the activity and 

 address of the ichneumons, that scarcely any con- 



