256 



NATURE'S CALENDAR 



December 2 



from influences of moisture and tempera- 

 ture until it shall be safe to throw aside 

 their coverings (which then wither and 

 drop away) and push out into freedom- 

 To ward off moisture more effectually, as 

 Gray tells us, buds are sometimes coated 

 with a waxy, resinous, or balsamic exuda- 

 tion, conspicuous on the scales of the 

 horse-chestnut, balsamic poplar (or balm 

 of Gilead), and balsam fir. To guard 

 against sudden changes of temperature, 

 they are often lined with a down or wool 

 that is a poor conductor of cold or heat, 

 it serving the same purpose as the under- 

 fur of animals. 



How the small invertebrate creatures 

 prepare for the long period of cold and 

 famine formed, the theme of the remarks 

 upon January ; but more might then have 

 been said, perhaps, as to the thick, warm 

 coverings that certain insects throw 

 around themselves, such as the woolly 

 aphides and the many dense cocoons of all 

 sorts in which pupae pass the winter; and 

 were there space to go into details, one 

 might describe interestingly, no doubt, 

 many curious ways in which larvse are 

 provided with, or make for themselves, 

 snug winter -quarters. Thus the cater- 

 pillars of our "white admirals" (butter- 

 flies of the commcKi and wide-spread genus 

 Basilarchia, which are among the earliest 

 to appear in the spring) are hatched from 

 eggs laid upon the tip of a leaf of some 

 forest or orchard tree. " The infant 



December 3 



