SPINNING CATERPILLARS. 



287 



of tlie ermine, though it has not since been plentiful ; and 

 in the same way, during the summer of 1829, the lackeys 

 were to be seen everywhere. We mention this irregularity 

 of appearance that our readers may not disappoint them- 

 selves by looking for what is not always to be found. It is 

 probable, that in 1830, the lackeys will be few, for, notwith- 

 standing the myriads of caterpillars last summer, we saw 

 only a single moth of this species, and out of a number of 

 chrysalides which a young friend had in his nurse-boxes, 

 not one moth was bred. 



The caterpillars of other moths, which are in some years 

 very common — such as the brown-tail (Porthesia auriflud), 

 and the golden-tail (P. Chrysorrhoea), are also social; and, 

 as the eggs are hatched late in the summer, the brood passes 

 the winter in a very closely-woven nest of warm silk. 

 This is usually represented as composed of leaves which 

 have had their pulpy parts eaten as food by the colo- 



Winter nest of the Social Caterpillars of the Brown-tail Moth {Porthesia auriflua), 

 figured from specimen. 



nists ; but from minute observation of at least twenty of 

 these nests in the winter of 1828-9, we arc quite satisfied 



