CYPRESS-SPURGE CATERPILLAR. 



157 



as they are successively added. The other ends of all these 

 are bent inwards, so as to form a uniformly rounded 

 oblong figure, somewhat larger at one end than at the 

 other. 



Cypress-Spurge Ca.ieTi>i\\a,T—<,Acronycta Euphrasia ?}— with a Cocoon, on a branch. 



A caterpillar which builds a very similar cocoon to the 

 last-mentioned may be found upon a more common plant 

 — the yellow snap-dragon or toad-flax {Antirrhinum linaria) 

 — which is to be seen in almost every hedge. It is some- 

 what shaped like a leech, is of a middle size, and the pre- 

 vailing colour pearl-grey, but striped with yellow and 

 black. It spins up about the beginning of September, 

 forming the outer coating of pieces of detached leaves of 

 the plant, and sometimes of whole leaves placed longitu- 

 dinally, the whole disposed with great symmetry and neat- 

 ness. The moth appears in the following June. 



It is worthy of remark, as one of the most striking 

 instances of instinctive foresight, that the caterpillars 

 which build structures of this substantial description are 

 destined to lie much longer in their chrysalis trance than 

 those which spin merely a flimsy web of silk. For the 

 most part, indeed, the latter undergo their final trans- 

 formation in a few weeks ; while the former continue en- 

 tranced the larger portion of a year, appearing in the per- 

 fect state the summer after their architectural labours have 

 been completed. (J. E.) This is a remarkable example of 

 the instinct which leads these little creatures to act as if 

 under the dictates of prudence, and with a perfect know- 



