338 



THE NATURALIST, 



penalties for disobedience, but the desired result has not yet been obtained. 

 If ISTature did not interpose, man would of necessity succumb ; but these 

 insects are pursued by other enemies Avhich become the valuable allies of man. 

 The Ichneumon pierces the caterpllar to death by its act of oviposition, the 

 Limex preys upon its vital organs, beetles feed upon them, principally the 

 pernicious Frocessionea caterpillar ; and the shrew mouse, the hedge-hog, the 

 mole, the lizard, the frog, the toad, and the bat or flittermouse are all excel- 

 lent insect-hunters. !Natui'e, however, has displayed most solicitude for us 

 by aj^pointing, as the food most sought for by birds, eggs and larva of butter- 

 flies, gnats, aphides, ants, snails, worms, &c., and by giving to each species 

 its assigned duty and place in the grand work of destruction. 



In order duly to appreciate the immensity of the work undertaken by 

 birds, we will just notice a few facts brought under our observation. In a 

 green-house, three full-grown rose-bushes were covered by about 2,000 

 aphides ; a blackcap [Sylvia atracapilla) was introduced, and allowed to roam 

 about in freedom, and in the space of a few hours the whole multitude of 

 insects were devoured, and the plants thoroughly cleansed. The titmouse 

 fortunately multiplies considerably, and renders great service, chiefly to 

 shrubs and fruit-trees, eating up millions of the eggs of caterpillars. Every- 

 one is aware of the enormous quantities of eggs caterpillars lay at one time, 

 some species 150, and others 500, 600, and even 800 at one time. The Nodm, 

 for example, lays about 600 eggs twice each summer. The titmouse, like most 

 other birds, does not attack the hairy caterpillar, but it daily swallows thou- 

 sands of its eggs. Count Casimir "Woszicke mentions a conclusive example 

 of the signal services this bird renders to our gardens : — 



During tlie year 1848 an enormous quantity of the Bomhyx dispar (the well-known 

 enemy of gardens, and which also commits serious depredations in woods) had devoured 

 the foliage of my trees, so that they were quite bare. I discovered in autumn millions 

 of eggs enveloped in a silky sort of covering, and attached to the trunks and branches. 

 I had them removed at a considerable expense, but soon became aware that the hand of 

 man was powerless to ward off the infliction, and resigned myself to the loss of my best 

 trees. But on the approach of winter several bands of the titmouse and the wren {Sylvia 

 troglodytes, ) paid daily visits to my trees, and soon the caterpillar eggs were in a fair way 

 of dimunition. At spring-time about twenty couple of the titmouse built their nests in 

 my garden ; the ensuing summer the depredations of the caterpillar were greatly lessened, 

 and in 1850 my little winged gardeners had so well cleansed all my trees, that, thanks 

 to their labour, I had the satisfaction of seeing them in full leaf the whole of the 

 summer." 



The indefatigable wren, which remains with us during the winter, is of 

 very great use, for its appetite equals its activity. They must perpetually be 

 swallowing something, and accustom their young to follow their example in 



