CABBAGE MOTH. 249 



of the claspers of the middle of the body. The largest 

 hump is that of the third segment, and it is furnished 

 at the top with a cleft projection. This curious larva 

 can be found on the common bramble, and is in best 

 condition about the end of August, or beginning of 

 September, when it is full-fed, and about to ' spin up.' 

 When it finally ceases to feed it spins a slight cocoon, 

 which it fastens among the leaves, changes into the 

 pupal state, and makes its appearance as a Moth in 

 the ensuing summer. This pretty Moth used to be 

 very plentiful about Oxford when I was collecting 

 there. It belongs to the family Trifidae. 



WE must now pass to the only too common 

 CABBAGE MOTH (Mamestra brassic<z). 



That this Moth subserves some good purpose is 

 evident from the fact of its existence, but what that 

 purpose may be is not easy to discover. It may, 

 perhaps, be useful in keeping down the too abundant 

 vegetation in wild and uncultivated countries, and so 

 may have done good service when this land was one 

 vast hunting-ground, and our predecessors used flint 

 instead of steel, and a wash of woad by way of dress. 

 At all events, it is very much out of place so far as 

 regards civilised society, and we could well spare it if 

 it had been improved off the face of this country, in 

 company with the wolf, the bear, and the beaver. 



The caterpillar of this Moth is one of the most 

 voracious herb-feeders in this country. It can eat 

 almost any herb, but prefers those which belong to the 

 cabbage tribe. As for those which are cultivated with 

 solid masses of vegetation, such as the summer-cabbage 



