MEANS OK DEFENCE OF CATERPILLAUS. 



189 



cock's eye, which must be conspicuous to birds from 

 its dark black colour, prettily dotted with white, aided 

 besides by the gregarious habit of feeding in a 

 colony of several dozens together; but if a thrusli or 

 a sparrow pounces upon one of them, the Ibrniidable 

 spines must present an obstacle somewhat unex- 

 pected, perhaps, to the making of a comfortable 

 meal. The ass, indeed, seems to relish the piquant 

 stimulus of the thorns or thistles, and sheep, goats, 

 and deer will browse on the still sharper loaves of 

 holly;* but we think none of our soft-billed birds 

 would venture on a thorny caterpillar. Madame 

 INIerian says ' that the spines of the caterpillar ot 

 Urania Leilus are as hard as iron wire.'t Abbot 

 tells us that many American caterpillars sting like a 



Thorny liairs of caterpillars, a a a, spiny caterpillar, from 

 Mailar.ie iMman. 6 6, Vanessa lo. c, spines niasmined. 



"■ Witliprinif, Cot. .Arrangement. Note on Ilex 

 t Mciian, hirJCCt. r^urinani, xxix. 



aqjifoliuin, 



