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 frdgilis. — 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, Malacosdma calif ornica, feeds 

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

 orange-colored and about 25 mm. long. 



Malacosoma constrtcta: — 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 

 larvae are biiff -colored and usually feed upon alder, but occasionally 

 become quite injurious to apple trees. 



The lappet-caterpillars.- — ^The larvas of the species of Tolype and 

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

 a little lappet or fiat 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 larvae 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 



syringa._ Its body is bluish gray, with pi^^g^^^^Tolype velleda. 

 many famt longitudmal Imes ; 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. 



