634 



THE NATURE BOOK 



of these insects, and these I kept under 

 observation. Before winter they formed 

 some curious, ahuost circular cocoons, 

 covered u'ith a kind of white silk. Some 

 of these are shown in the illustration 

 attached to bramble leaves just as they 

 were formed by the insects. The cocoons 

 remained until June 8th, 1906, when one 

 was opened from within, a circular cap 

 being cut off from the top and pushed 

 open, and so, like a Jack-in-the-box, 

 the insect emerged. This was clear proof, 

 therefore, that the winter stage was that 

 of the pupa or chrysalis. 



The Lace-wing Fly is a surprisingly large 

 insect to come from so small a cocoon. 

 Probably the readers of The Nature Book 

 have frequently observed this beautiful 



insect with its gauzy, iridescent wings and 

 dreamy flight, its emerald green body, 

 its jewel-like eyes ; but if its charming 

 colours have tempted them to capture and 

 touch the insect they may have learnt a 

 lesson. With all its delicate beauty 

 this pretty fly is the veritable skunk 

 amongst British insects. It can produce 

 a smell so vile that if your fingers, and 

 especially your gloves, should come in 

 contact witli it, you are assured of a most 

 uncomfortable time, for the smell is often 

 more than soap and water will remo\-e. 

 This foul odour is, doubtless, the insect's 

 protection against its foes, but such 

 delicacy of form and colour combined with 

 so repulsive a characteristic is surely one of 

 Nature's most incongruous performances. 



JoHX J. Ward. 



HOW TO KNOW THE TREES 

 GROWING IN BRITAIN 



With Notes, descriptive and photographic, for their Identification 

 in all Seasons of the Year 



By HENRY IRVING 



THE APPLE AND PEAR GROUP— II 



T 



THE WILD SERVICE 



HIS is a tree of very local occur- 

 rence, and chiefly in the southern 

 counties. The grey bark is de- 

 cidedly scaly. The buds are nearly round, 

 shining, green in colour. There are narrow- 

 brown margins to the scales. Tlie leaves 

 are cut into from five to seven pointed 

 divisions, each of which is supported In' a 

 strong secondary rib. The venation at the 

 base recalls that of tlie Plane. The leaf 

 maigins have saw-like teeth. The flowers 

 are more loosely branched than those of 

 the Wiiite Beam. The fruit is oval, brown 

 in colour, with lighter spottings. 



This is one of the earliest of our trees 

 to assume its autumn tints, showing 

 golden and brown shades among the green, 

 often before the summer is gone. 



A tree, usually distinguished as the 

 True Service, is occasionally to be met 

 with in park or garden. It bears less 

 resemblance to the Wild Service than to 

 the Rowan or Mountain Ash, for which 

 it might easily be mistaken at first sight, 

 having the same habit and similar foliage. 

 A closer exiamination will at once reveal 

 decided differences. The bark is like 

 that (^f the Wild Service, rough and scaly 

 from the first. The twigs are smooth 

 and shiny, the buds are green, smooth, and 

 slightly sticky. They stand out from 

 the twig. The leaves, so like those of the 

 Rowan, ]i;i\'c l)roader leaflets, and these 

 have marginal teeth near the ti]") only. 

 The flowers, of a creamy white, are larger 

 than those of the Hawthorn. The fruits, 

 clustered two or more on a single main 



