LEPIDOPTERA 731 



in ending squarely instead of being rounded at each end; and the 

 cocoon is more fragile, with less powder, and distinctly double. 



The Great Basin tent-caterpillar, Malacosoma Jrdgilis . — This spe- 

 cies is found throughout the northern portions of the Great Basin, 

 extending from the Rocky Mountains to the Cascades and. Sierra 

 Nevadas, and has been found in California. It feeds on Ceanothus 

 and many other wild shrubs. 



The California tent-caterpillar, Malacosoma calif ornica, feeds 

 nomially on oak but also attacks fruit trees. The caterpillars are 

 orange-colored and about 25 mm. long. 



Malacosoma constncta. — The larva is somewhat larger than the 

 preceding species, and may be readily recognized by the distinct blue 

 lines along the sides. It feeds on oaks. 



Malacosdma pluvidlis. — This is another Pacific Coast species. The 

 lavvse are buff-colored and usually feed upon alder, but occasionally 

 become quite injurious to apple trees. 



The lappet-caterpillars. — The larvae of the species of Tolype and 

 of Epicnaptcra are remarkable for having on each side of each segment 

 a little lappet or flat lobe; from these many long hairs are given out, 

 forming a fringe to the body. When at rest the body of the larva is 

 flattened, and the fringes on the sides are closely applied to the 

 surface of the limb on which the insect is. Thus all appearance of 

 an abrupt elevation is obliterated; the colors of these larvse are also 

 protective, resembling those of the bark. The following are our 

 better-known species. 



The Velleda lappet, Tolype velleda. — The body of the moth is 



milk-white, with a large blackish spot on the middle of its back 



(Fig. 935). That part of this spot which 



is on the thorax is composed of erect 



scales, the caudal part of recumbent hairs. 



The wings are dusky gray, crossed by 



white lines as shown in the figure. The 



figure represents the male; the female is 



much larger. The moths are found in 



August and September. The larva feeds 



upon the leaves of apple, poplar, and 



svringa. Its body is bluish grav, with „. ^^ , ^ „ , 



^r ■ ^. -x J- IT j Fig- 935- — Tolype velleda. 



many famt longitudmal hnes ; and across 



the back of the last thoracic segment there 



is a narrow velvety-black band. The larva reaches maturity during 

 July, The cocoon is brownish gray, and is usually attached to one 

 of the branches of the tree on which the larva has fed. 



The larch lappet, Tolype Idricis. — This is a smaller species, the 

 females being about the size of the male of the preceding species, and 

 the males expanding only about 30 mm. The wings of the females 

 are marked much like those of T. velleda, except that the basal two- 

 thirds of the front wings are much lighter, and the dark band on the 

 outer third is narrower and much darker than the other dark bands. 



