388 Insects most itijurious to Cultivators. 



standing their being fastened together, make an effort to grow, 

 are forced ont of their natural position, and become distorted 

 and unsightly, the holes bitten by the insect increasing in size, 

 according to the growth of the leaf. In like manner, they de- 

 light to fasten one or more leaves upon the surface of a bud 

 whilst very young, which serves them as a defence beneath which 

 ihey devour part of the petals of the bud as well as the leaf. 

 {fg.U5.e.) 



The caterpillar [Jig. 115. J, natural size; and 7^^.114. o-, mag- 

 nified), when disturbed, quits its retreat, running backwards very 

 (juickly, and leaving a web, which it spins from its mouth, and 

 by which it will often suspend itself from the leaf in the air. It 

 is of a fleshy substance, and of a dark flesh colour, with a black 

 shining head. There are 2 black patches on the upper side of 

 the 1st segment, and the 2 following segments are spotted 

 with brown. It has 6 short black articulated legs, attached in 

 pairs to the first 3 segments of the body after the head. The 

 4th and 5th segments are simple ; but the 6th and 3 follow- 

 ing segments are respectively furnished, as well as the extremity 

 of the body, with a pair of short fleshy false legs (prolegs), 

 which are employed in motion, and which are of a dark flesh 

 colour. The extremity on the upper side is brown, and a few 

 hairs are scattered about the body. 



When full grown, it either attaches two leaves together with 

 silken threads, leaving a space between them, which it lines with 

 silk ; or it curls up the edge of a leaf, fastening it with threads 

 so as to prevent its unfolding, and lining the curved part in a 

 similar manner. Within the retreat thus made it assumes the 

 chrysalis form, casting off its caterpillar skin : it is generally about 

 the eiid of June that this operation takes place. The chrysalis 

 [Ji'g. 115. c, natural size; _fig. 1 14. h, magnified) is of a shining 

 pale reddish brown colour, of the ordinary form, without any of 

 those angular projections which are to be observed in the chrysa- 

 lides of some butterflies : each of the abdominal segments is, 

 however, remarkable for having two rows of minute points, or 

 hooks, directed backwards, as in the chrysalis of the goat moth, 

 the use of which is to assist the chrysalis in pushing itself partly 

 out of the whorl of the leaf, previously to assuming the perfect 

 state; by which means the little moth becomes at once at liberty, 

 and is not inider the necessity of working its way through the 

 curled-up leaf, which may now, perhaps, have become dry and 

 shriveled. The body is terminated by a curved horny hook. 

 Jn the present season, these insects arrived at the winged state 

 al)out the middle of July. 



The extirpation of these insects is matter of difficulty. They 

 are, it is true, very conspicuous in the winged state; and, if care 

 were taken to employ children in catching and killing them just 



