LEPIDOPTERA. 4S7 



defoUaria, the caterpillar of which (fig. 1077) lives in a large number of 



forest and on most fruit trees. The caterpillar 



of this section of moths is remarkable for the 



curious form which it assumes in locomotion. _ 



The caterpillar is very destructive to the leaves ^' HybemlZ^efoiS ""^ 



in May, and enters the ground to change to the chrysalis in June. 



" Thus are my blossoms blasted in the bud, 

 And caterpillars eat my leaves away." 



Shakspeare, Henry VI. 



The hairy caterpillar of the Garden Tiger Moth {Chelonia caja) is 

 very voracious, and devours the lettuces and strawberries. The moth is 

 handsome, and the caterpillar characteristic, but in my garden it has 

 never done material damage. 



The Death's-head Moth {Acherontia atropos, plate 24, fig. 9) is not 

 common in this country ; nevertheless in the potato fields to the south 

 of my garden many specimens have been found. The caterpillar may 

 be known by its green colour, large size, and by a horn which it has 

 at its tail. The moth itself is the most gigantic of our English 

 Lepidoptera. 



As a whole, my garden is not much infested with caterpillars. I 

 attribute this to the protection which is afforded to the birds. When 

 an entomologist, at my request, visited the garden on several occasions 

 to assist me in determining the species which dwelt therein, he left 

 in disgust, declaring that it was impossible to find insects where the 

 birds were so numerous and so carefully preserved. Lector, respice ! 



DIPTERA. 



The Seventh order comprises the Diptera, or Two-winged flies. The 

 larvae are maggots without feet, of which the gentle is a notable 

 example. Some act as scavengers, and are thus useful to mankind 

 others prey upon injurious insects, and so are of service. Many are 

 themselves directly hurtful to vegetation ; and a large number, as the 

 gnat and mosquito, are the very terror of mankind in fenny countries. 



