86 APPLE MOTH. 



between the leaves of the calyx, which form a tent above it 

 that effectually shields it from the inclemency of the wea- 

 ther, or any other casualty. As soon as the egg hatches, 

 the little grub gnaws a hole in the crown of the apple, and 

 soon buries itself in its substance ; and it is worthy of re- 

 mark that the rind of the apple, as if to afford every facility 

 to the destroyer, is thinner here than in any other part, 

 and consequently more easily pierced. The apple most 

 commonly attacked is the codling, a large, early sort, 

 which ripens in July and August. 



The grub, controlled by an unvarying instinct, eats into 

 the apple obliquely downwards, and by thus avoiding the 

 core and pips in no way hinders its growth : at first it 

 makes but slow progress, being little bigger than a thread, 

 but after a fortnight its size and operations have much in- 

 creased ; it has now eaten half way down the apple,- and 

 the position of the hole at the top, if the apple continue 

 upright, or nearly so, is inconvenient for a purpose it has 

 up to this time been used for, that is, as a pass to get rid 

 of its little pellets of excrement, which are something like 

 fine saw-dust or coarse sand ; another communication with 

 the outer air is therefore required, and it must be so con- 

 structed as to allow the power of gravity to assist in keep- 

 ing it clear ; it is accordingly made directly downwards 

 towards that part of the apple which is lowest, and thus 

 the trouble of thrusting the pellets upwards through the 

 eye of the apple is saved, and a constant admission given 

 to a supply of air without any labour. The hole now 

 made is not, however, sufficiently open for an observer to 

 gain by its means any knowledge of what is going on 

 within ; this is only to be obtained by cutting open a num- 

 ber of the apples as they gradually advance towards ripe- 



