DESIGNS OF NATURE IN INSECTS. 297 



the winter months, but revive in spring, and re- 

 commence their ravage in the tree. The caterpillar 

 of this moth I believe to be the largest of any of 

 those of the British lepidopterae ; and, when full 

 fed, exceeds in size that of the death's-head sphinx. 

 To those who dislike the appearance of things of 

 this nature, it is particularly disgusting ; not only 

 from its magnitude and smell, but from its colour, 

 which is a lurid red, so compounded with a dingy 

 yellow, as to give it a lividness of look, con- 

 veying the idea of something raw. Common 

 as the grub is in some years, I have seldom been 

 able to obtain the moth without the often tedious 

 process of feeding the larvae, and waiting for its 

 change. 



The goat moth seems remarkably tenacious of 

 life, and possessed with a strength of vitality that 

 is unsubduable by the common agents which effect 

 the destruction of others ; even Prussic acid does 

 not act with decision in this case, and at times ap- 

 pears to have no influence. 



Of those caterpillars which feed upon the foliage 

 of vegetation, a considerable portion are picked 

 off and consumed by the numerous little birds 

 which are constantly hunting after them, as food 

 for themselves or their young ones ; and many of 

 those which are supported by the roots of plants, 

 and remain covered in the soil, are detected by 

 the perception of rooks, and birds of that order : 

 but those which feed upon the internal parts of 

 trees seem exempted from any of these causes or 



