280 EGGS OF THE LACE-WING. 



clare " our verdant pastures, drains our blood, sometimes even 

 dresses herself in the skins of our slaughtered brethren, and 

 for this, as well for the harmless mien which cloaks her ruth- 

 less nature, may be looked on, not merely as a wolf, but as a 

 wolf in sheep's clothing." Thus would say the little aphides ; 

 and the same character, with features somewhat enlarged, but 

 by no means softened, we are compelled in justice to assign to 

 their arch enemy, who even before she has lacy wings to boast 

 of, or golden eyes to look upon the day, begins her murder- 

 ous ravages among their leaf-sucking tribes. 



But let us commence the history of the lace-wing at its be- 

 ginning even from the egg which in itself presents (by the 

 way) a tiny object too singular as well as pretty to be over- 

 looked. There are to be seen, from May to August, attached 

 to various leaves, but those chiefly of the rose-tree, certain 

 slender filaments, green or white, surmounted by an oval head, 

 and arranged sometimes, fringe-like, round the edge some- 

 times in groups on the surface of the leaf standing sometimes 

 singly and distinct sometimes with heads united in a cluster.* 

 These heads, with their delicate stalk- like appendages, are none 

 other than the eggs of the lace-wing fly ; but it hardly needs 

 to be observed, that from no such minute envelopes could pos- 

 sibly emerge her winged descendants, which, like all nearly 

 of the insect race, have to reach their perfect form through 

 three successive stages of development. 



* See Vignette. 



