4 THE YOUNG 



tiny larvae, or caterpillars, when they hatch. Those 

 species that remain in the egg state during the 

 winter, if likely to suffer from the cold, are pro- 

 tected, by the mother Moth, in one way or other. 

 Thus, EriogasterLanestris the Small Eggar, which 

 emerges very early in the year, is endowed with 

 instinct teaching her that frost and snow, though 

 gone for a few bright days, may return again ; after 

 laying her ova, with the most marvellous neatness, 

 round a spray of hawthorn or blackthorn, she 

 exudes a glutinous moisture, with which she covers 

 them, and then proceeds to denude herself of the 

 downy scales of her own body, to clothe them 

 with. Other species which deposit their ova in 

 warm weather, to hatch in a few days, place them 

 on an open leaf, attached to a blade of grass, or 

 merely scattered about. And if ova are beautiful, 

 how much more may be said for larvae or cater- 

 pillars ! Everything combines to make them in- 

 teresting — colour, form, markings, and the mar- 

 vellous instinct that teaches them to hide from the 

 sight of their many foes, or to fall to the earth and 

 sham death, if necessary for their own preservation. 

 Again, when full fed they feel a season of helpless- 

 ness at hand, and they crawl into the earth, or 

 spin cocoons of singular form and substance, ac- 

 cording to their families, where they remain during 

 the time they are pupae or chrysalides. Some 

 cocoons so closely resemble the bark of the tree or 

 substance to which they are attached, that it is 

 most difficult to determine where the bark ends 

 and the cocoon begins. 



Must it not fill every enquiring mind with won- 

 der, how caterpillars can form these assimilating 

 cases within which to enclose themselves ? Surely 

 to watch these various transformations, and to be- 

 hold the perfect insect, or imago, emerge in all its 

 beauty, must afford an amount of healthy amuse- 

 ment far above what can be offered by many 

 pursuits that have more votaries ! 



Nor is it only young people who may, with ad- 

 vantage, study Entomology. The charge, some 

 times made, of its being a puerile amusement is a 

 great mistake. Grown up persons may learn 

 much, and benefit themselves and others, by the 

 pursuit of Entomology, combined with Botany — 

 the knowledge of the latter greatly assisting the 

 former. 



We all know where it is recorded of Solomon 

 that "he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that 

 is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth 

 out of the wall ; he spake also of beasts, and of 



NATURALIST. 



fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes," thns 

 proving that Solomon, in his wisdom, did not con- 

 sider the study of Natural History beneath his 

 notice. Let everyone, therefore, with a taste for 

 natural objects, cultivate it as a source of much 

 instructive amusement which will increase year by 

 year as they become better able to fully under- 

 stand the wonders of the Book of Nature. 



LEPIDOPTERA 

 IN NOVEMBER. 



" When chill November's surly blast 



Makes fields and forests bare," 

 We must not expect to find many butterflies and 

 moths. Butterflies, indeed, there are none. Those 

 which live over the winter have long ago retired to 

 their quarters, and, though an occasional Peacock, 

 or Tortoiseshell, or Red Admiral, may be found on 

 the roof of an out-house, these are not captured in 

 the sense generally used, which does not refer to 

 insects hybernating. A large number of moths are 

 also taking their winter's sleep, and it is really 

 wonderful how successful they are in concealing 

 themselves. Who can tell to what sort of places 

 many species of moths retire ? We shall always be 

 pleased to record the discovery of any of them. 



The following list of moths on the wing during 

 this month is taken from Mr. Merrin's very useful 

 " Lepidopterists' Calendar :" 



P Populi 



A Segetum 



H Pennaria 



C Vaccinii, H 



H Aurantiaria 



Spadicea, H 



Defoliaria 



Erythrocephala, H 



C Brumata 



S Satellitia, h 



Boreata 



D Rubiginea, H 



0 Dilutata 



H Croceago, H 



C Psittacata, H 



D Templi, h 



P Cassinea 



M Oxyacanthae 



P Plumigera 



. C Exoleta, H 



L Vitellina 



C Chamomilke, H 



H means that the insect lives over the winter, and 



reappears in spring. 



Several of these are common enough to be ob- 

 tained in most places. In an ordinary locality, 

 ten or twelve of them should be taken ; and in a 

 good one, from fifteen to twenty. A few words 

 about each of them may be useful . 



Pgecilocampa Populi, the December Moth, is 

 generally distributed both in England and Ireland, 

 but is not very common. It comes out about the 

 end of the month, and should be looked for on tree 

 trunks, on palings, or on gas lamps, to which it is 



