}Ji> 'HIE STORY-BOOK OF SCIENCE 



for it. Its pointed head is lowered again, a second 

 plant-louse seized, raised from the leaf, and sucked. 

 Then another and another, a twentieth, a hundredth. 

 Tin' foolish herd, whose ranks are thinning, do not 

 even seem to perceive what is going on. The trapped 

 plant-louse kicks between the lion's fangs; the oth- 

 ers, as if nothing were happening, continue to feed 

 peacefully. It would take a good deal more than 

 that to spoil their appetite! They eat while they 

 are waiting to be eaten. The lion has had enough. 



Lady bug 

 (n) larva (6) pupa (c) first joint of larva 



He squats amidst the herd to digest at his ease. But 

 digestion is soon ovei and already the greedy worm 

 1ms its eye on those that he will soon crunch. After 

 two weeks of continual feasting, after having 

 browsed as it were on whole herds of plant-lice, the 

 worm turns into an elegant little dragon-fly with 

 eyes as bright as gold, and known as the hemerobius. 

 "Is that all? Oh, no. Here is the lady-bug, the 

 1 God's bug. It is round and red, with black 

 -pots. It is very pleasing; it has an innocent air. 

 Who would take it also to be a devourer, filling its 



