162 



Insect Ravages in Woodlands. 



81. Female Moth of the Bombyx pro- 

 cessionea 



80. Bombyx processionea.— (The Processionary Caterpillar.) 



•f^^ in an orderly inarcli — first one, then 

 i^- J ;; -*' two, three, and f >ur abreast, and so 

 <** V' widening by one at every rank, in solid 

 triangular phalanx, and in immense 

 legions. When there are no more 

 oak leaves to destroy, they consume 

 the undergrowth, and they do not 

 fail to take harvests and gardens 

 before them. The hirsute append- 

 ages with which they are covered 

 cause irritating inflammations 

 when in contact. with the naked 

 skin or a mucous surface, and 

 neither man nor beast can remain 

 in a forest when ^ they are abroad. 

 653. Against enemies like these 

 man is scarcely able to defend 

 himself, but there are enemies 



82. CoJosoma. a Carnivorous Beetle, de- that also appear abundantly when 

 struetive to the Prooessionarv Caterpil- j.i • i- j i i j. _,i , 



lar. their lood becomes plenty, that 



