214 ROUND THE GREAT WHITE HORSE 



pected insect to be circulated in rural districts, 

 accompanied by other and highly magnified enlarge- 

 ments of its appearance in the grub and pupa stage. 

 Naturally, the last were the more striking to the 

 imagination, the "life-size" portrait carrying little 

 conviction beside the large and variegated monster in 

 the magnified plate. So guided and so informed, the 

 rural policemen were all on the watch to arrest the 

 delinquent beetle, as they would any other " party " 

 who was "wanted," and whose portrait was circulated 

 from head-quarters for identification. An opportunity 

 for distinction soon occurred. Two enormous cater- 

 pillars (of the death's-head moth) were found by a 

 labourer on his potato-patch, and by him carried to the 

 house of a lady who took an interest in entomology. 

 The caterpillars were received, and the labourer, praised 

 and rewarded, took care to let his friends in the village 

 know what a clever fellow he was. The discovery of 

 strange caterpillars in the potato-bed was discussed ; and 

 next day the local constable, in the absence of the lady, 

 called, and demanded to see the creatures. These he 

 compared with the illustrations in his possession, and 

 pointed out that they were as big, or even bigger, than 

 the awful monster there depicted. He then "took 

 up " the caterpillars, and carried them off by the next 

 train to the county town, where they were discharged 

 after due inquiry, and returned, with apologies, to their 

 owner. The policeman's ally, the gamekeeper, seldom 

 lets his interests extend beyond the habits and require- 

 ments of the very limited number of creatures which 



