THE MOTH, AND THE 



summer may be, yet this dusky butterfly is unin- 

 jured by it, and we see it in profusion hovering 

 about the sapless foliage. In that arid summer 

 of 1826, the abundance of these creatures, and 

 of the lady-bird (coccinella septem punctata), was 

 so obvious, as to be remarked by very indifferent 

 persons. 



There is a large yellow underwing moth (pha- 

 laena pronuba), too, which is generally abundant. 

 It hides itself during the day in the thickest foliage, 

 and screens itself from the light in the moist grass 

 crops of the mead, where it is perpetually dis- 

 turbed, and roused from its rest, by the scythe of 

 the mower. That elegant little bird, the yellow 

 wagtail, is a great destroyer of this insect. It is 

 very soon apprised of these movements, and will 

 often attend the steps of the mower, fearless of 

 harm, to watch for its prey. As soon as the moth 

 rises, it is chased ; and its exertions and shiftirigs 

 to escape, and the activity and perseverance of the 

 bird to capture it, are very amusing. 



Our lepidopterous insects feed upon various sub- 

 stances in their several states, and most of our but- 

 terflies, when perfected, appear to extract the sweet 

 liquor from the tubes or nectaries of plants, and 

 many of our moths obtain their nourishment by 

 similar means : but one butterfly alone, the admira- 

 ble (v. Atalanta), and at times the peacock (v. lo), 

 feeds upon the juices of our autumnal fruits ; and 



