observable on the sides of that species. I t feeds on the CiU'dainine impatiens, Prassica
cainpéstris, Turritis glabra, &c., preferring tlie seeds, and becomes full fed in July, when
it is rather less than an inch and a half long : the butterfly appears in the folloAving
May. — 4. Atalanta, or Scarlet Admirable, buttei-fly. The catci-piUar is blackish broivn ;
ratlier less than tivo inches long, when full grown ; and is covered with little spiny prickles.
I t feeds on the nettle, and the butterfly appears in August. — 5. Painted Lady, or
Thistle, butterfly. TJie caterpillar, in its form and size, resembles the last, but its
colour (according to Lcwin) is cither dark or pale broivn, and sometimes even yellowish.
TJic eggs ai-c generally laid on thistles, docks, and nettles : and in the first week in
August the buttci-fly appears. — 6. The peacock butterfly. Tho catei-pillar of tliis very
elegant butterfly agrees with those of the two last species in size and shape, but the
spines ai-e longer : on each change the skin becomes darker, and finally black, powdered
all over with small white species. I t feeds on nettles. The latter end of June, tliey
suspend themselves by the tail, and change into chrysalides ; in three weeks the butterflies
appeal’. Some of these butterflies live tlu-ough the winter, while others remain in
the pupa state until the spring. — 7. The Elm, or Large Tortoiseshell, buttei-fly. Tlie
caterpillar is about an inch and three quarters long, of a light chestnut brown colour,
with one or two blackish lines on the sides, and the body covered with short hairy
prickles like the last four species. I t is found upon elm trees in sheltered situations ;
and is vei-y social, feeding together, and not separating till near the time of transfonn-
ation. There generally appears to be two broods of these insects in the year. — 8. The
Nettle, or Small TortoisesheU, buttei-fly {fig. 285.). The eggs (a, natural size and magnified)
are deposited on the nettle, and
285 P young .caterpillars issue
about the middle of May : they are then
of a light colour, and live together on the
top of the nettle, which they enclose witliin
a largo loose web. After casting their
fourth skin, they change to black, and separate
into companies ; but when they
hai-e acquired their sixth or last skin (6)
they become yellowish on the hack, and
feed singly. The perfect butterfly {d) appeal’s
in June.—9. The Comma butterfly,
so called from having a mark resembling
a comma on the under side. The caterpillar
is readily known from all the preceding,
by being .of a bright chestnut
colour, with the hinder and largest portion
of the back pure white ; there are also several short spines on the body. This caterpillar
is generally found secreted beneath the leaves of the hop or nettle ; the buttei-flies appear
towards the middle of August.
1644. The only butterflies injurious to cultivated vegetables are, the large cabbage butterflies,
Pieris bi-âssicoe Lat. {fig. 286. c) 8cq., the small ditto (P . r à p æ ,/) , and the gi-eenveined
white (P. napi). The first is the largest ; the caterpillar (a ) is gi-eenish yellow,
irregularly marked with black spots, and, when full grown, is rather more than an inch
and a half long : in this state its ravages among cabbage beds are well knoivn. The
chi-ysalis (6) may he found, in summer and autumn, attached to posts, walls, outhouses,
and the tranks of trees ; this is, perhaps, the best time for destroying it, as the death of
one may probably prevent the propagation of a whole brood ; the perfect insect (c)
might be placed in the list of ornamental butterflies, were it not so peraicious in its
larva state. The small garden white, or cabbage buttci-fly, is frequently a still greater
pest than the last : the caterpillar {d) is of a delicate green, with small yellow rings on
each side of its body ; it conceals itself within the folded leaves in the centre of the cabbage
aud cauliflower, and is therefore less easily discovered : the chi-ysalis (e) is also gi’een,
and is found in similar situations to the last, towai-ds the end of September. Broccoli
is a favourite food of this insect. The green-veined wliite buttei-fly is likewise very
troublesome in gardens : the caterpillar is gi-een, but differs from the last in haiung three
orange stripes ; and the butterfly is known by the green nerves on the under side of the
inferior wings : this has sometimes been called the turnip buttei-fly, from its infesting that
plant, at certain seasons, in great numbers.
1645. The Hawk Moths {Sphmgidoe) foi-m the second division of lepidopterous insects.
They ai’C principally distinguished by their anteniiæ being thickest in the middle, and
formed of three sides. They are only to be seen on the wing before the rising and after
thc setting ofthe sun ; at which times their flight is so extremely rapid, that the eye cannot
distinguish either the motion of their wings, or the colom-s which ornament them. Smne
few European species of the lesser tribes fly, however, during the heat of the day. The
major part undergo their metamorphosis in the gi-ound, and thus differ essentially from
buttei-flies. Nineteen or twenty species inhabit Britain, and of these about twelvc are
of a pretty considerable size. The catei-pillai-s of the larger kinds ai-e, in general, very
beautiful ; and are easily known fi-om those of butterflies, and of other moths, by a sort
of horn or cm’ved process, situated on the last segment of the body : none of these are
found to be injurious, either to the gardener
or the fai-mer ; on the contrary, they
may be classed, as we have before ob-
sei-ved, with the ornamental buttei-flics.
Fig. 287. represents the Privet Hawk Moth,
reduced in size, with its egg of the natural
size, and magnified (6) ; and its chrysalis (a).
1646. The injurious species o f hawk
moths are few, and belong to a particular
tribe (Sesiadæ), the larvæ of which feed
upon the interior pith of trees and shrabs.
In this manner, the cmi-ant clear-wing
(Sòsia íipulifói-mis F.) perforates the
branches of that tree, and the diminished
size of the frait shows where the enemy
has been at work : two or three other kindred
specie-s inim-e trees in the same man- . „ ,
nei- The catei-pillars of the death’s-head moth (Sphinx Apropos) feed upon potatoes.
1647. Moths {Vhalcdnoe L.) constitute the third, and by fa r the most numerous, division
of lepidopterous insects ; and it is among these we find the greatest proportion of injurious
and destructive species. Ncai-ly all, in their lanra or cateiiiillar state, are external feeders;
that is, they feed upon leaves : on changing into the cln-ysalis state, they cither conceal
themselves within a silken cocoon, or burrow in tlie earth ; but are never exposed like
buttci-flies. The perfect insects seek tlieir food during the night, generaUy beginning
their flight in the dusk of the evening. The autennæ ai-e tliickest at the base, and gradually
become more slender, until they tei-minate in a fine point : but sorne have their
antcnnæ feathered. Many hmidi-cd species of moths inhabit Britain, and thousands ai-c
ah-eady known as natives of foreign countries. ■ u ■ .
1648. Among the species o f moths most injurious to ihe gardener and the agriculturist, we
shall notice the foUowing : —The catci-pillar of the silver Y moth (iVoctua gamma X.),
in certam seasons, and in particular countries, is one of the most universal depredatois.
Although common with us, it is seldom the cause of more than trivid injui-y m Britain ;
but in France, during the yeai- 1735, it was so incredibly multiplied, as to infest t ie
whole country. Vast numbers, according to Reaumur, were seen traversing the pubUc
roads in aU directions, to pass from field to field ; they paiticiUarly attacked kitchcn-
irardens where they devoured evei-y thing. The credulous inhabitants affirmed them to
be poisonous ; and this idle report gained such general credit, ‘‘that herbs were banished
for several weeks from the soups of Paris.” An alai-m somewhat similar, but caused by
a different insect, was felt by tho inhabitants of the ncmity of London in 1 /8 2 iilien
vast multitudes of the brown-tailed moth (Porthòsia annflua), in then- laija state, sfyTPcd
the hawthorn hedges for inUcs of evciy gi'cen leaf : rewai-ds were offered for coUectm tne
caterpillars, and the churchwardens aud overseers attended to see them burnt by bushels.
1649 Lettuces are greedily devoured by the lai-væ of two moths of no very diminutive
size One of these is the beautiful Tiger moth (Ah-ctia Caj« Lat.). The caterpillar is
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