THE INSECTS. 123 



and tomatoes suffer great losses and have to be on 

 the alert. 



We cannot here go into details of the ravages of 

 the pests to economic plants, for the number is so 

 great that only a bare list would be tiresome and 

 anything more would fill a book. We may 

 mention, however, a few examples of protection 

 where the larva is exposed. One of the prettiest 

 examples is a Hyperchiria, which has its larva 

 covered with branching spines which give it the 

 appearance of a tuft of green moss. Another 

 species has a brown covering, and both are liable 

 to be picked up by a plant collector at the risk of 

 being pricked and stung. This stinging by moth 

 larvae is very painful in some cases, especially 

 among the Limacodidae and Megalopygidae ; we 

 have had both hands swollen and inflamed as if it 

 were erysipelas, and a friend happening to put his 

 hand to his face after accidentally touching a 

 cocoon was blinded for several days. Most of 

 the members of these families are general feeders, 

 almost any plant will suit their tastes. Fortu- 

 nately, however, notwithstanding their elaborate 

 measures for protection, ichneumons and other 

 parasites keep down their numbers. 



Insects are very troublesome in many ways, but 

 possibly no species gives so much annoyance as 



