8S 



that they are noted as causing in France, where, according to the old law, it was com- 

 pulsory on proprietors to have the webs on the shoots cut offvwith shears and des royed, 

 in consequence of the ravages of the caterpillars (if left unchecked), ruining the apple 

 leafage over an extent of miles of country." 



7. The Magpie Moth of the Gooseberry — Abraxas grossulariata, Stephens, 



is another English insect that may be mentioned on account of its resemblance in its 

 caterpillar state to our Geometer Currant and Gooseberry worm (Abraxas ribearia, 

 Fitch), represented in the annexed wood-cut, which will almost serve for its English 

 relative, though the moths are totally different in their markings. 



Fig. 51. 



1 and 2, Caterpillars ; 8, chrysalis of Abi-axas rihearia. 



The English insect — the Magpie Moth — is thus described : — " The caterpillars of this 

 Moth are not so injurious as those of the Gooseberry Sawfly, but they occasionally occur 

 in sufficient numbers to strip the bushes of their leaves. They frequent the Gooseberry 

 and the Black and Red Currant, and also the Common Sloe, or Blackthorn. The egg — 

 one or more — is laid on the leaves towards the end of summer ; the caterpillars hatch 

 in September, and feed for a short time ; and then either fall to the ground with the fall 

 of the leaves in autumn, and remain sheltered amongst them for the winter, or they spin 

 the edges of a leaf together, which they have previously fastened by threads to the 

 bough, and inside this protection remain until the return of spring. When the new leaf- 

 age unfolds, the caterpillars come out and feed till May or the beginning of June, when 

 they change to chrysalids. The caterpillar is one of the kind known as "loopers," from 

 the peculiar looped shape it draws itself up into w^hen alarmed (see f g.) ; the head is 

 black ; body cream-coloured, with a reddish orange stripe along the sides ; the whole of 

 the second ring, and the under side of the third and fourth, and of the four nearest the 

 tail, are also reddish-orange. A row of large irregular black spots runs along the middle 

 of the back. When full fed it spins a light transparent cocoon attached to twigs, or 

 palings, or in crevices of walls ; and in this it changes to a chrysalis, yellow at first, but 

 afterwards shining black, with orange-coloured rings. 



" The Moth is very variable in appearance ; commonly it has a black head, yellow 

 body between the wings, with a large black spot in the middle j the abdomen also yellow, 



