126 DESTROYING INSECTS. [chap. v. 
these insects are such favourite food for 
birds, that not a hundredth part of them are 
suffered to reach maturity. The eggs of the 
lackey moth are often found fixed on a na¬ 
ked twig, in winter, looking like a bracelet 
of hard beads, and adhering so firmly toge¬ 
ther, that the whole bracelet may be slipped 
off entire. 
The cabbage butterflies are also very de¬ 
structive in the larva state. The caterpillars 
are soft, of a pale whitish green, and very 
active, leaping about in the hand when 
taken; and the chrysalis, which is also green, 
looks as if it were swathed up like a mum¬ 
my. The caterpillar of the beautiful little 
ermine moth is a gregarious feeder, like the 
lackey caterpillar, and is nearly as destruc¬ 
tive; and it is the more necessary to men¬ 
tion this, because the moth itself is so small, 
so delicate, and so quiet, that no one unac¬ 
quainted with its habits would think of kill¬ 
ing it as an injurious insect. 
The leaf-rollers, the saw-flies, and the 
gnats which occasion the oak-galls, are all 
very destructive. The leaves of the rose- 
tree are often found marked, in summer, 
