216 THE CORK MOTH. 



the saccharine in it, on which the creature feeds. 

 When it has attained its full size it spins a silken 

 case and turns into a chrysalis, from which the 

 moth emerges in April and May. 



Anxious to learn still more regarding this 

 curious insect, I went to the Natural History 

 Museum at Kensington, and by the courtesy of 

 the authorities I was allowed to descend to the 

 basement, where the long galleries are filled with 

 insect collections. A case was brought to me 

 which contained the Oinophila-v-flava, a long 

 name, which I had expected would belong to a 

 moth of ordinary size. What was my amazement, 

 therefore, when I was shown a golden-coloured 

 speck with four small wings, the upper pair having 

 three white spots, from which the moth obtains 

 its name of v-flava, as the spots form a minute 

 letter v. 



Now I could well understand the obscurity of 

 the perfect insect ; for who would imagine that a 

 creature so insignificant could be the cause of so 

 much loss and trouble to wine-owners ? 



It still remains a mystery to me how the moth 

 finds its way into the cellars of our houses, or how 



