136 BERTHA'S VISIT TO HER 



going far at a time, and cautiously conceal them- 

 selves in the nearest bush. 



This little (seratella) moth is of a brownish co- 

 lour, with numerous black dots and stripes on the 

 fore wings, which are beautifully fringed with 

 feathers. The inferior wings are very small, and 

 have also a fringe on the margin. This moth is 

 particularly distinguished by the extreme length 

 of the hind feet ; they are twice as long as the 

 body, and are thought by some to act like a pair 

 of oars in regulating their flight, and in helping 

 to maintain the body in equilibrium. 



My aunt told me that some years ago the de- 

 predations of this insect were considered as a 

 species of blight, and the insect was so little 

 known, that no description of it was to be found 

 in either French or English entomologies. She 

 believes that every blight that affects our fruit- 

 trees is produced by insects, whose visits are en- 

 couraged by certain dispositions of the atmos- 

 phere. The germs of the future race are lodged 

 ready to be called into existence whenever the 

 weather be favourable to them. The cure then 

 must be to eradicate the germ, but this can only 

 be known by tracing the habits of these minute 

 creatures. " What a field," added my aunt, 

 " for exercising the industry and observation of 

 young people ; and not only in acquiring know- 

 ledge, but in turning that knowledge to useful 

 purposes." 



