CONTENTS. xiii 



47. PAINTING, CARVING, AND GILDING. 



The insects assembled in this Vignette afford only average specimens of Na- 

 ture's decorative skill, but serve to illustrate the three modes above 

 mentioned of insect adornment. In the Moth Caterpillar, with its gold- 

 finch colours (scarlet, yellow, black, white, and brown), resting on a branch 

 of elm, we have an example of gay painting wanting permanence. This 

 latter quality is supplied in the liuby-tailed Wasp (Chrysis ignita) on 

 the paling. Above, are two larvae (pseudo-caterpillars) of the Currant 

 Saw-fly (Nematus Hides), their skins of greenish-yellow, studded with 

 raised dots of shining black. On the nettle-stalk adjacent hangs tho 

 gilded chrysalis of a Tortoise-shell Butterfly ( Vanessa, Urtica) / and above, 

 flying upwards, its superior wings laden with seeming gold, is one of 

 the little Moths (Tineidw) come of caterpillars which feed on the bark 

 of Birch-trees. Also inscribed in mimic gold is the Greek y, which gives 

 name to the larger Moth (Plusia gamma), seen on wing beneath the flower- 

 head of Knapweed (PJirygia nigra\ seated on which, her closed pinions 

 " freaked " on their reverse, not with gold, but silver, is a brown Fritillary 

 (Argynnis Adippe}. The only specimen of insect Carving for which room 

 has been here found, is one of the sculptured eggs of the -y Moth on a leaf 

 of Knapweed ............ 248 



" You shame our trumpery daubing!" 



Acheta throws down his pencil in despair at the inimitable perfection of his 

 living patterns ............ 275 



48. SPIDERS IN THEIR ANALOGIES WITH OTHER 

 ORDERS OF CREATION. 



The two Spiders on the top of the wall are of the tribe called " Hunters " as 

 opposed to " Sedentaries," or such as construct snares and sit within or 

 beside them. That on the right, with zebra-like stripes, is the Salticus sce- 

 nicus ; opposite, is a nearly resembling species; and climbing the "Wall- 

 flower, is a beautifully coloured geometric Web-Weaver .... 276 



" Where are snare-setters existent but amongst Tinman animals and 

 Spiders ?" 



The Man Bird-catcher emulated in his trade by the Spider Fly-catcher . . 295 



