SMALL ERMINE MOTH. 



465 



Small Ermine Moth. 



pillars issue in vast numbers, each individual spinning a strong 

 silken thread as it proceeds, which acts as a guide to the nest, 

 just as the fabled clew led through the intricacies of Eosamond's 

 bower. When once these caterpillars have taken possession of a 

 tree, they are sure to strip it of its leaves as completely as if the 

 foliage had been plucked by hand. It is a very curious sight to 

 watch the systematic manner in which these troublesome insects 

 set about their work, how they send out pioneers which lead the 

 way to new branches, either by crawling up to them or by low- 

 ering themselves to them, by means of their silken life-lines, and 

 how soon they are followed by their ever-hungry companions. 



Perhaps the reader may wonder why the little birds do not eat 

 these caterpillars. When they have nearly stripped the branch 

 they are very -conspicuous, especially as they make their way 

 from bough to bough along their silken bridges. Indeed, a pro- 

 prietor of a garden that was much damaged by this moth did 

 once mention the immunity of the caterpillars as a proof that any 

 tenderness to small birds was misplaced, saying that if the spar- 

 rows were half as insectivorous as I mentioned, they would long 

 ago have eaten all the caterpillars. 



Now, at the first glance, there seemed to be some reason in this 

 remark;, but a short look at one of the damaged trees explained 

 the reason why the sparrows did not eat the caterpillars. The 



Gq 



