232 TRUE TALES OF THE INSECTS. 



usual lateral stripes, a chain of brown diamond-shaped 

 cross-bars. 



In July and August it occurs in potato fields, busily 

 engaged in devouring the leaves ; but as it feeds during 

 the night, and remains hidden low down on the stem 

 throughout the day, it is not so easily discovered as its 

 size would lead one to imagine. Formerly scarce in 

 this country, since the cultivation of the potato it has 

 increased considerably, though not to an extent sufficient 

 to do any real harm. But in the event of the potato 

 being destroyed by disease, it will attack other plants, 

 and has been known to take to them so kindly as to 

 refuse the potato when supplied with it. It also lives 

 naturally on the tee-tree, the common jasmine, the 

 deadly nightshade, woody nightshade, snowberry, dog- 

 wood, and various others of very dissimilar qualities. 

 About the middle of August, as a rule, it becomes full- 

 fed, when it retires into the ground to a considerable 

 depth, and forms an oval cell, carefully smoothed inside, 

 wherein to undergo its destined changes. Owing to 

 delicacy of skin, the pupa is frequently injured when 

 the potatoes are dug up in the autumn, and without 

 precautions, disturbed pupae almost invariably succumb 

 before reaching the adult state. 



