THE HAWTHORN. 



231 



themselves with food, thev retire to their dwellino' 

 without tasting a bud. In the beginning of April, 

 the temperature being decidedly milder, they 

 sally forth in a body, and, finding the blossom- 

 buds swelling and beginning to shoot, make up 

 for their long fast by devouring them. The leaf- 

 buds now begin to expand. These they attack 

 in their turn, discard their decayed v/inter's dwell- 

 ing, and construct a larger and more commodious 

 mansion, to which they retire every evening, or 

 during inclement weather. After their second 

 change of skin, which takes place about this time, 

 they grow very rapidly, and alter in appearance, 

 having now a black line running along the centre 

 of their backs, vrith a row of yellow spots on 

 each side. Their backs are covered with yellow 

 and white hairs, and from the central line grey 

 stripes diverge to the under side of the body. 

 Towards the end of April they moult for the 

 third time, and dissolve the republican state of 

 society. Each caterpillar now attaches itself by 

 threads to a branch of the tree, and in the course 

 of a few days is converted into a chrysalis, or 

 pupa, which is of a whitish yellow colour, beset 

 with black dots and stripes. It remains in this 

 state till the end of May or beginning of June, 

 when the perfect insect appears, and soon lays 

 the foundation of another colony. 



Providentially, this destructive insect has a 

 number of enemies, or our Hawthorn-hedges and 

 orchards would present but a pitiable appearance. 

 Field-bugs watch the caterpillars when they leave 

 the nest, pierce them with their beaks, and suck 

 the juices. Ichneumon-flies lay their eggs in the 

 bodies of the full-grown caterpillars, which after- 



