70 
TRANSFORMATIONS, OF INSECTS. 
colour, the fore parts of the body being blackish. The adult insect 
flies in the month of May. The females, although they are large 
insects, have a very small ovipositor saw ; but they do not require 
any other, for, instead of using it upon dense vegetable fibre and 
hard twigs, they simply incise the stalks of leaves. 
The larvae are of a pretty green colour, and have a black ray 
down the back ; they do not indulge in the threatening posture of 
lifting up their tails, but curl themselves up just like a sleeping cat. 
There are some small saw-flies which are well known, and 
which belong to the Hylotomites ; their antennae are slightly 
swollen, and have from three to seven joints. The genus Hylotoma 
is the most important, and its species are very common in Europe. 
They usually have the greater part of the body coloured yellow, 
and the rest black ; and the common rose saw-fly is a well-known 
example, and one that is especially hated by rose fanciers. It is 
to be found in every garden, and its habits can be watched with 
ease. 
When all is bright and full of sunshine early in the summer 
morning, and when the rosebuds are longing to open and to 
display their magnificent colours, then is the time to watch the 
restless saw-flies that move here and there with great velocity, 
and rest every now and then on the rose trees. These pretty 
flies are about one-third of an inch long, and when they fly 
their wings measure nearly half an inch across. Their bodies 
are smooth, gleaming, appear highly polished, and have an orange 
tint, whilst their heads, antennae, and much of the body, are 
black, as are the ends of the legs and the pieces of the tarsus 
or foot. These Hylotomoe belong to the species Rosea , but at first 
nothing unusual is observed respecting their habits. After a 
while the flies become more numerous, and as the day passes on 
some begin to think of laying their eggs. The females fly to 
and fro, and soon several may be recognised, for they are 
crowded and heavy with eggs. The slow-flying saw-fly may be 
noticed buzzing about the most succulent and healthiest of the 
roses, and it is so anxious to lay that it cares little for the 
spectator. It crawls and runs over the leaves and suckers, and 
looks here and there, and is evidently intently occupied in some 
important duty. Finally, the saw-fly finds a delicate succulent 
