THE ICHNEUMON FLIES. 97 
knows nothing about it. Were it not for this ichneumon, 
we should scarcely have a cabbage or a cauliflower in the 
garden ; for the noisome cabbage caterpillars would destroy 
every leaf of the present plant, and nip the growth of 
every bud which gave promise for the future. 
Every one knows the peculiarly-offensive caterpillars 
PARASITIC INSECTS. 
Cocoon of Oak-Egger Moth. Cocoon from New South Wales. 
Cocoon of Puss Moth. Cocoon of Goat Moth. 
which eat the cabbages, and which are the offspring of the 
common large white butterfly. In the spring, the butter- 
flies may be seen flitting about the gardens, settling on the 
cabbages for a few moments, and then flying off again. They 
look very pretty, harmless creatures, but, in fact, they are 
doing all the harm that lies in their power. Forty or fifty 
eggs are thus laid on a plant, and if only one quarter of the 
number are hatched, they are quite capable of marring every 
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