JUNE. 



belong to the beautiful Royal Tiger Moth (Arctia Virgo), 

 and remain in the pupa state about four weeks. 



C. — I must tell you of a sad misfortune that has befallen 

 me : a rascally mouse has managed to find access to my 

 setting-board, and destroyed a good many insects, some of 

 them valuable ones ; eating the bodies, and leaving the 

 mangled and scattered wings. 



F, — Mice seem pretty fond of insect diet, for they will 

 always commit these depredations at every opportunity : I 

 have myself suffered from the same cause. 



C. — Look ! what a congregation of butterflies on that 

 little muddy spot ! and all of one species, the Clouded Sul- 

 phur (Colias Philodice). I should think there are near 

 twenty within a square foot. 



F, — This species is very fond of assembling in such 

 places to assuage thirst, but other butterflies have the same 

 habit : I once saw fifteen of the Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio 

 Turnus) in a space not exceeding a foot square ; and my 

 brother soon after counted fifty-two of the same fine species 

 together ; besides many more which were hovering about the 



spot, on the wing. See ; here is an instance of 



tyranny and rapine, though on a small scale. A large flat 

 Bug (Pentatoma) has caught an unfortunate caterpillar, and 

 plunged his sucker, or rostrum, into its body ; this rostrum is 

 usually bent up under the breast ; but now it is extended 

 straight from the head, holding the caterpillar at the end of 

 it. Observe how fiercely he holds on, and won't let me take 

 it away from him. All the bug tribe are carnivorous, and 

 live by sucking the juices of other insects, and sometimes of 

 larger animals. I have succeeded in rearing plant bugs to 

 the perfect state, by supplying them with house-flies, which 

 I maimed and threw into the box. 



C. — I have caught, near the river, one or two Day-flies 



