INSECTS. 
11 , 
is quietly feeding, in order to prevent the struggling victim from 
using its feet, or clinging to the leaf when endeavoring to escan^ 
from its voracious destroyer. After piercing the living 
giu > eisuicly sucks out the juices, throws away the empty skin 
and recommences feeling about in search of another, which when 
found, is treated in the same way. When ready to i 
syrphus maggot fastens itself to a leaf or stalk, by means of a ffluti 
nous secretion from its own body, and, the outer skin contracting i nto 
pCifisr rd “" s br “P 0 '”* 10 the 
After a few days during the heat of summer, th'e perfect fly 
emerges from a hole, at the blunt end of the case, to lay ers 
amongst the colonies of lice on the neighboring plants. The perfect 
fly is about seven-tenths of an inch across the wings which a?e two 
in number and transparent. The body is generally Tore or less 
nded with biown, or black and yellow, and appears like that of a 
diminutive wasp. This fly has a 'peculiar habit !>f hoveling on the 
ing, apparently without motion or exertion, during the heat of the 
sStnpf -T T-rST’ and when ^fbed it darts away wSi great 
SS ,V 11 ’ k the object that alarmed it is removed, it iramediatelv 
esumes the same attitude and spot, only darting off every now and 
Sor ^ i a n 8 ° me ° ther mtrudiD g Ay from its own peculiar domain 
lk fflP ears „ t0 imagine it possesses absolute sway, 
these insects are of essential aid to the farmers and planters as 
vegetation! 6 dimi “ a ' ‘ l,C mm ' h ™ ° f "E K 
THE LADY-BIRD. 
( Coccinella f) 
cotim? , 1 i l,1} r 1,ird A) i s a most valuable auxiliary to the 
-p an ter, as it destroys the cotton-louse, or aphis, by thousands 
“ d , 1S , m . ost f plentiful where they abound, always being busy at the 
phmter. 8UCb ’ 1 ““ id “ “ - ° f « 
.,i!: e ,}' MV ‘ d “ a small, bluish-black, alligator-looking insect of 
« s * 
days tli number nS 8 ’- v* P li t f F may sal ' ely calculate that in a few 
) numbu of the lice will be greatly diminished The larva 
htmah h v U e nS ?h?sT S an aphis \ and im inediately commences eating 
until it has s!( r ( A VOry tv epaSt r H ' lng fi J nished > U eagerly hunts about 
tu it lias seemed another victim, and thus completely destroys ill 
^ , le f Who,, ihoat to change Z th? Z„, !{ 
a , J®“ 8 ^f elf b { tbe tai t0 a leaf; the skin of the back splitting open 
poaranoo whfoh^hh ' »™”Se-colorcd ,„„,a Lkos^Kpl 
Lrrii i n gh furnished with the rudiments of wings and 
the ieaf with tS f ■ I ° como ^ u ^“g, but remains adhering to 
of the uuna After S - km .° f tbe Iarva 8ti11 stk ' kia S to the end 
lg pa ' Aftei remaining in this state for a few days, this skin 
