418 
ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW-YORK 
solve and wash off this glutinous matter, it softens it, so that it 
can readily be indented by the finger nail, whenever it is wet by 
rain or dew. And when thus softened, birds frequently pick 
into it, forming irregular openings in its surface, as represented 
at the lower part of the figure in the foregoing cut. They proba¬ 
bly suppose it to be the chrysalis of a moth, and that they will 
enjoy a dainty repast on reaching the inside; but on coming to 
the outer ends of the eggs and finding how tough and compacted 
together they are, they desist, never destroying any of the eggs 
that I have noticed. 
These eggs are deposited upon the twigs the fore part of July, 
and remain through the autumn and winter, and until the latter 
part of April and the beginning of May, when the young cater¬ 
pillars hatch from them. Thus during ten of the twelve months 
of each year these insects repose in their egg state. They always 
hatch in wet or at least damp weather, when the thick covering 
o f glutinous matter in which they are enveloped is soft, so that 
they gnaw a passage through it with ease. If it were not thus 
softened the infantile worms would be wholly unable to work 
their way through it. If a twig containing one of these belts of 
eggs be brought into a stove room where the atmosphere is con¬ 
stantly dry, scarcely a half dozen of the worms, if any, will be 
able to come forth from their nest. And this glutinous matter 
thus softened, forms a store of nourishment for the worms when 
they first hatch. They remain clustered together upon its sur¬ 
face and feeding upon it, for one or two days, until they have 
acquired strength to travel away and forage for themselves. 
Thus more or less of this matter is consumed, and 
the belt of eggs now presents the appearance shown 
in the accompanying figure, its surface not smooth 
and shining as before, but rough and ragged, with 
the white ends of the eggs exposed to view, at least 
in places, and each egg showing a small perfora¬ 
tion in its end through which the worm made its 
exit. 
The infantile worms having fed uppn the matter which en¬ 
velopes the eggs until they have obtained sufficient strength for 
the journey, move down the limb one after another, each spin- 
