A WOOLLY FLOCK 



233 



tion of his body being covered with the wool, his 

 head and legs being usually concealed beneath 

 the pluming growth of his neighbors. This feath- 

 ery growth seems of the most del- 

 icate consistency — in truth, more 

 suggestive of white " mould " 

 than any other natural 

 substance, and seems to 

 proceed from pores 

 in the plump body 

 beneath it. The 

 slightest breath 

 wafts the cob- 

 webby tips of 

 the fringe, and 

 the least rude 

 touch easily ^.. '• 

 dislodges it, 

 exposing the 

 round, naked 

 body of what is 

 now clearly seen to be 

 an aphis, or plant-louse, 

 which nature, for some 

 reason, has seen fit to 

 clothe with swan's-down. 



In early June the white down first appears on 

 the alders in tiny patches here and there. This 

 gradually extends down the stem, at length, per- 



