THE BROWX-TAIL MOTH. 47 



at the extremity. There are smooth, yellowish-brown hairs 

 scattered over the abdomen and top of the thorax, but none 

 on the antennae, leg or wing covers. 



The Moths. ' 



As already noted, the moths emerge from the })upal stage 

 from the Lst to the 20th of July, the time varying, accord- 

 ing as the season is early or late. In 1898 the height of 

 the flying season was July 1(>, in 1899 it was July 8, while 

 in 1902 it was July 14. They are essentially night-flyers, 

 only a few being seen on the wing in the day time, while 

 the others remain at rest on the trees, fences and under side 

 of leaves. In an hour or two after sunset a few of the 

 moths venture forth, the number increasing as it grows 

 dark, and from 10 o'clock till midnight the moths fly in the 

 greatest numbers. 



The average expanse of the wings of the males is one and 

 three-tenths inches, and of the females an inch and a half. 

 Head, thorax and Avings snow white ; antennre white above, 

 with the under side and pectinations yellow ; abdomen, 

 above, smoky brown, more intense posteriorly. On the 

 end of the abdomen of the female is a large globular tuft 

 of hairs, which in difl*erent liijhts shade from oolden yellow 

 to dark brown. In some females the hairs of the under side 

 of the head, thorax and abdomen are tinged more or less 

 w^ith pale yellow. This is more pronounced in the males, 

 where, on the under side of the head, pectus and costa of 

 the fore wings, it is dark brown. 



In July, 1897, a quantity of cocoons and pupji? was 

 gathered and placed in a large glass-covered box, the moths 

 being removed as they emerged. The following table shows 

 the relative proportion of the sexes : — 



