TURNIP MOTH. 251 



the surface of the earth, and the only evidence of its 

 presence is the drooping state of the plant. When 

 very young, it feeds upon 

 the leaves of the turnip and 

 many other plants, such, for 

 example, as the carrot, or 

 some flower, and in that stage 

 may be removed by hand- 



* * Agrotis segetum. 



picking ; but, when it grows 



larger, it descends towards the earth, fixes upon the 

 upper portion of the root, just where it joins the stem, 

 and there gnaws a groove completely round the stem, 

 the entire plant often dying from the injury. It grows 

 with great rapidity, and, when about three-quarters 

 grown, burrows into the earth and attacks the root 

 itself, beginning near the bottom, burrowing deeply 

 into it, and gnawing large hollows in it. 



These caterpillars are only too familiar to agricul- 

 turists. They are nearly smooth, grey-striped more 

 or less, and covered with little shining, round spots, 

 from each of which proceeds a short bristle. As a 

 rule, the gardener cannot mistake in killing every 

 brown-looking caterpillar that he finds beneath the 

 ground, for it is sure to be one of those beings that 

 make havoc among the crops, and the greater because 

 their ravages are carried on out of sight. It is 

 principally in search of these destructive caterpillars 

 that the rooks frequent turnip-fields. When the birds 

 are seen busily digging with their powerful beaks, they 

 are engaged in the search after the turnip caterpillar, 

 and not trying to eat the turnip itself. 



The whole history of this Moth is a very interesting 



