COCOONS, BUT NOT OF SILK. 
97 
into the room, and extinguish the light, as it of¬ 
ten does, every body runs away in alarm, and 
prophesies all manner of disasters. 
Besides its great size, and the mark upon its 
back, the death’s head moth can make a plaintive 
cry, that is also regarded as an evil omen. But 
in spite of the fear it causes, it is a most harm¬ 
less and inotfensive creature, and quite unable, 
either by its cry or its skeleton head, to defend 
itself from danger. It is very fond of honey, 
and will often venture into a beehive to steal a 
little. But the valiant bees, regardless of its 
size, or of its bad name, rush upon it, and sting 
it so severely that it generally dies. 
The foreign caterpillars are much larger and 
more striking than those in our own country; but 
it is very difficult to find their cocoons. Many 
of them live in the inside of trees, in the pulp 
of fruit, or in the pith of plants, and keep their 
cocoons completely hidden. There is one* whose 
habits are a little like the caterpillar of the goat 
moth, that you may remember makes its cell in 
the very centre of the tree. It, too, forms a 
chamber in the heart of the oak, that grows in 
New South Wales, and feeds upon the bark, and 
sappy wood about the entrance. But as it does 
* Hepialus lignivora. 
