THE BRITISH LIPARID MOTHS. 141 



which arc mixed, (but not spun) with the silk. As with the cocoon of 

 /'. siiiiilis {aurijlua), these hairs ily about like dust the moment it is 

 opened. The bird which exi)erimeuted on the cocoon of either species 

 would fare no better than with the larviu, and would run the additional 

 risk of getting the haii's into its eyes as well as mouth. 



JhiNi/c/tiiii jiudibunda : The outer cocoon is com[)osed of a delicate 

 web of white flossy silk. Tlie inner is similar, rather thinner, and 

 closer in texture; but so thickly felted with larval hairs that its thick- 

 ness is greatly increased, the transparency of the silk obscured, and its 

 colour altered to a dull yellow. Only a few hairs appear in the outer web, 

 and these seem to have been puslied through from within at an abrupt 

 angle. A slight space is left in certain directions between the inner 

 and outer walls. D. fancdina : The cocoon of this species closely 

 agrees with that of D. piulibunda, the chief differences licing tliat it is 

 dusky-brown in colour, and that the larval hau's are freely used in the 

 construction of the outer web. 



Oiyijia antiifua : The cocoon of this species is really double, but so 

 little space separates the walls, that it has the superficial appearance 

 of a sim})le cocoon. The silk used is fine and white, but so freely 

 economised by the use of larval hairs, that the latter impart their 

 yellowish tint to the cocoon. It is usually attached to leaves and 

 twigs, although the wandering ha])it of the full-fed larvic often leads them 

 to spin up beneath the ledges of walls and fences in suburjjan districts. 

 The J , after emergence, usually remains on the cocoon, and oviposits 

 on it. 0. {lonostiiiiua : The outer aud inner coats of this cocoon are 

 quite distinct ; in a favourable situation the outer web may be of great 

 size, and it has a number of small circular openings in the otherwise 

 closely spun, but gauzy web. These holes vary in size from that of a 

 medium to large pin's head. The inner cocoon is very sunilar to that 

 of I), antiqua, aud thickly felted with larval hairs. After emergence, the 

 $ rests on the inner cocoon, and does not (juit the shelter afforded by 

 the outer web. I believe copulation is effected by the $ thrusting its 

 abdomen through one of the openings in the outer web. The eggs are 

 laid between the inner aud outer walls of the cocoon, the holes probably 

 affording the young larvae a convenient means of exit. 



Pup.^. — Generalised characters. — Presence of hairs -. In the hammock 

 spinners (P. monacha, (>. dispar aud L. salicis) all, or some of the 

 hairs, are slightly thorny. In the cocoon spinners (all the remaining 

 British species) they arc simple, or ribl)OU like, not thorncd. Anal 

 armature : Anal segment ends in a tolerably long, stout horn, sur- 

 mounted by a gi'oup of hooked or si)irally curved spines. 



Psilura monaclia : Colour, bronzy -brown ; surface, polished ; humped 

 dorsally on the 1st to 3rd abdominal segments. Groups of short, 

 slightly thorny, l)right red hairs are present on abdominal and thoracic 

 segments, ventral and dorsal head-piece, and there are also a few 

 hairs on the eye-covers. The arrangement of these gi'oups on 

 abdominal segments is suggestive of larval tubercles, both anterior and 

 posterior trapezoidals, supra-, post- aud sub-spiracular groups Ijcing 

 present. The anal armature is black, it consists of a largish horn, 

 slightly flattened on the ventral side, and longitudinally fluted or 

 . striated. The top is rounded, aud bears a mass of long spines or 

 bristles, spirally cm'ved at tip. 



Ocncria dispar : Colour, very dark browu, nearly black ; smfacc dead, 



