588 
Insects. 
F%' 
THE WINTER MOTH. 
(Geometra, or Cheimatobia brumata.) 
The Caterpillar delights in newly-opened leaves ; it is 
not so ravenous as many others, making long intervals 
between its meals, but it seldom quits a leaf until it has 
entirely consumed it. The colour is very elegant. The 
upper part of the body is of a fine yellowish green ; but 
it is by no means so beautiful after as before feeding, its 
skin being so thin as to transmit the hue of whatever food 
it eats. They are also called looper Caterpillars, because 
when they crawl they draw their hind and fore feet to- 
gether, so as to form their bodies into a loop. They go 
into the pupa state towards the end of June, burying 
themselves for that purpose in the earth ; and in Novem- 
ber or December the perfect insect is brought forth. 
It is evident that they possess great muscular power, 
and hence their positions during repose are very striking. 
Fixing themselves by their hinder feet alone, they extend 
their bodies in a straight line, holding it in that posi- 
tion for a long time. This, together with their obscure 
colours, and the warts on their bodies, render it often 
difficult to distinguish them from the twigs of the trees 
on which they feed. When alarmed, these Caterpillars 
have the instinct to drop from the leaves, and suspend 
themselves by a thread, which enables them to remount 
when the danger is over. 
