124 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



[June 1, 1870. 



MORE ABOUT THE PUSS-MOTH. 



A CONSIDERABLE amount of interest at- 

 taches itself to the caterpiUar of this species, 

 from the fact that its structure is singular, its habits 

 peculiar, and that its history goes back further than 

 most of our British caterpillars, since a pretty accu- 

 rate description of it is given by that worthy old 

 angler Isaak Walton, who had often diverted himself, 

 while "waiting for a nibble," by watching these crea- 

 tures feeding or reposing on the willow-leaves near 

 the margin of the stream. Besides the species before 

 us (Dicranura Vinula), it should be noted that we 

 have three other species occurring in these islands, 

 with similar appendages at the extremity of the body, 

 and belonging to the same genus. These are popu- 

 larly known as the " Kittens," being less in size. One 

 of these is of great rarity ; the otbers are not so 

 plentiful as the almost ubiquitous "Puss." The cater- 

 pillar of the species designated D. Furcula, though 

 only half the size of its relative, is still more beauti- 

 fully marked. The caterpillar of the Puss-moth, 

 however, is liable to vary, individuals being found 

 almost every year in the suburbs of London, and 

 elsewhere, which have the ground colour lighter 

 through the earlier stages, and the disposition of the 

 markings also varies slightly; no corresponding differ- 

 ence showing itself in the moth. One of the oddest 

 things observable in the appeai'ance of the young 

 caterpillar is the adornment on the head, in the form 

 of two little processes, like ears in miniature ; and 

 when the caterpillar is at rest, stretched at full 

 length, as it will sometimes place itself, with the anal 

 horns closed, and extended horizontally, it really 

 does look like a Lilliputian cat or kitten. After- 

 wards these points disappear, but two black spots 

 remain to mark their former position. In an ordinary 

 condition of the season, during the caterpillar life of 

 the species, — that is, when the heat is not excessive, 

 nor the temperature much below the average, — the 

 time passed in transitu from egg to pupa is about 

 seven weeks. There is only one annual brood, yet 

 caterpillars may be found from June to September ; 

 and this is due to the circumstance, that even in the 

 same locality a succession of moths will appear, some 

 emerging early in May, others perhaps not till July : 

 hence from these are produced caterpillars of differ- 

 ing ages ; and the egg and full-grown caterpillar are 

 often seen at the same time. The number of changes 

 of skin is four, and on the occasion of each of these, 

 the caterpillar spins a silken pad, to secure its hold 

 of the leaf or twig during the four or five days it 

 has to remain without eating. Also it will occasion- 

 ally, in windy weather, form a similar tracery of silk, 

 to prevent itself from being carried away by a gust. 

 How far the inner horns or tentacula are really of 

 service to the Puss caterpillar for driving off parasitic 

 enemies, is a doubtful point. That it will endeavour 

 to direct them towards any part of the body which 



is touched or threatened, may be easily seen, yet they 

 are often protended by the caterpillar when no 

 danger impends ; and we find that a very large pro- 

 portion of the caterpillars found at large, when nearly 

 adult, have been attacked by parasitic enemies, 

 especially belonging to the Hymenoptera. Often 

 will these permit the caterpillar actually to form 

 its cocoon, and then emerging, they construct theirs 

 within it, as shown by Bennie. The caterpillar has 

 a power of ejecting from a slit beneath the chin, 

 about three lines in length in the mature individual, 

 a sharp liquid, which slightly excoriates the skin. 

 When taken from its native tree and placed in con- 

 finement, it loses this ability, though the caterpillar, 

 if irritated, may be observed to move this slit, and 

 make apparent attempts at the ejection. 



The cocoon, as noticed by Mr. Spicer, is formed 

 of any material handy to the caterpillar : fragments 

 of paper will be used, if wood is not supplied ; and I 

 have heard of one constructed of potato peelings ! 

 When a full-grown caterpillar is placed under a 

 saucer, and covered with a glass tumbler, it may be 

 made to form a cocoon entirely of the gummy secre- 

 tion, which is usually combined with other materials. 

 In this case it is thin and transparent, resembling 

 horn in texture when dried. 



John R. S. Clifford. 



THE LOTUS: ITS HISTORY AND 

 TRADITIONS. 



EAR from pretending to have exhausted this 

 very interesting subject, I venture to submit 

 the following notes to your readers, as an instalment 

 only. 



The application of the word Lotus to two dif- 

 ferent and distinct objects has tended, much to 

 complicate the task of identification. 



1. There is the Lotus of the Nile, an aquatic 

 plant, which has its counterpart in the Lotus of 

 the Ganges. 



2. Tbe edible Lotus, which furnished the food of 

 the Lotophagi. 



1. We find the Lotus, in varied forms, freely 

 used in Egyptian ornamentation, in inscriptions, 

 and in hieroglyphics, as representing the polypeta- 

 lous Hypogynse, or plants of the Lily kind ; among 

 these, the Nymphaacea, or Water-lilies, are the 

 Nymphcea Lotus, the virgin lily of Moore's " Lalla 

 Rookh,"* the white Lotus of the Nile ; and also N. 

 caerulea, the blue Lotus of the Nile. 



But it is supposed that the true sacred Lotus of 



' " Egypt's palmy groves. 



***** 



Those virgin lilies, all the night, 

 Bathing their beauties in the lake." 



Paradise and the Peri, 



