. Insect transformations . heat as liom severecold. This, however, has heen long well known as aliict to the Neapolitan peasantry, who convey snowfrom Mount Vesuvius to Naples in the summer for thepurposes of luxury: they preserve it from melting bycovering it with chatf and wool. It may not be outof place to remark that instances of this occur amonginsects, precisely similar to what we have just detailedrespecting the gypsey moth. The brown-tail and thegolden-tail moths {Porthesia auyijliia, and P. Chry-sorrhcea, Stephens), whose caterpillars spin them-selves a warm nest betbre the setting-in
. Insect transformations . heat as liom severecold. This, however, has heen long well known as aliict to the Neapolitan peasantry, who convey snowfrom Mount Vesuvius to Naples in the summer for thepurposes of luxury: they preserve it from melting bycovering it with chatf and wool. It may not be outof place to remark that instances of this occur amonginsects, precisely similar to what we have just detailedrespecting the gypsey moth. The brown-tail and thegolden-tail moths {Porthesia auyijliia, and P. Chry-sorrhcea, Stephens), whose caterpillars spin them-selves a warm nest betbre the setting-in of the wintercolds,* seem no less careful to protect their eggs fromthe summer heats of July and August, at which timethey are deposited. The down witii which they arefurnished for this purpose grows upon the tail of thefemale moth, in form of a thick tull or brush, of ashining silky gloss, and of a different colour from theshort hair on the body. It may be remarked thatmoths have only a mouth tube for sucking honey, and. Ftnialcs of tlie brown and froW-tailed moths, showing the bunchof down on tlie tails. * See Insect Architecture, p. 329 — 331. 84 INSECT no mandibles or jaws,* like bees, wasps, and beetles,for performing any mechanical labour; but the mothsin question have an organ admirably contrived lorcovering their eggs with down. This consists of anextensile instrument, situated in the tail, not unlikethe points of a pair of sugar-tongs, and hitended toperform the part of tweezers in pulling otl the down,and placing it upon the eggs. Having reared nume-rous brouds of the moths alluded to, we can testifyto the minute accuracy of Reaumur in detailingtheir proceedings. He remarks, that though themother moth is exceedingly sluggish (^lourdt) in hergeneral movements, she employs her tweezers withsurprising quickness, on all sides, first to pull off apinch of down, and spread it out, and then to place theegg upon it, and cover it neatly over, and smooth t
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