THE CANADIA.N ENTOMOLOGIST. 75 



Spinners, a family which contains the silkworm moths and several other 

 thick-bodied, hairy moths, with large wings but small heads, bearing 

 comb-like antennae and having the mouth parts imperfect, or as in those 

 now under consideration not developed at all. The caterpillars of the 

 Bombycidce are usually hairy or tufted, and when full grown spin a cocoon 

 for the protection of the short, thick chrysalids. 



At Fig. I the different stages of the American Lackey Moth are given. 

 This species appears in the perfect state in the beginning of July, about a 

 week earlier than the other species referred to above, which is known by 

 the name of the Forest Tent Caterpillar C. disstria Hiib. (C. sylvatica 

 Har.) 



The American Lackey Moth is a pretty species of a dull but rich reddish- 

 brown colour, having the upper wings crossed obliquely by two clear, 

 whitish, parallel lines. In rare instances these show faintly on the lower 

 wings also. The fringes of the wings are chiefly of the same colour as the 

 oblique lines. The space enclosed between the light lines is paler than 

 the rest of the wings in the males, but of the same colour or rather darker 

 in the females. On the under side, all four wings are crossed by a well- 

 defined, irregular, whitish bar. The perfect insects having their mouth 

 parts undeveloped partake of no food, but devote the whole period of their 

 short lives to the perpetuation of their kind As soon as they have paired 

 and the females have laid their eggs they die. The eggs are deposited in 

 rings upon the smaller twigs of various trees, usually within a short dis- 

 tance of the tips. Each egg-cluster contains from 200 to 30c eggs, which, 

 when laid, are covered with a liquid glutinous substance which soon drits 

 and cements them firmly together, and protects them from the weather. 



A surprising point in the life history of these insects is that about a 

 month after the eggs are laid, the young caterpillar is fully formed inside 

 the egg and it remains in this condition all through the winter, only eating 

 its way out from the egg in the following spring when the leaves expand. 

 Immediately upon hatching the young caterpillars consume the glutinous 

 covering of the eggs, and then lose no time in attacking the foliage. They 

 at on^ begin the construction of their tent, which is a web of fine silk, spun 

 in the nearest fork of the twig upon which they were hatched. This tent 

 is increased in size as the caterpillars grow, and if left undisturbed is some- 

 times nearly a foot in diameter. The caterpillars are very regular in their 

 habits, marching out in regular procession, each following close behind the 



