266 INSECTS INJURIOUS TO VEGETATION. 



about one inch and a half in length, and being at this time in 

 search of proper winter quarters wherein to make their cocoons. 

 They are of a dark greenish gray color, but appear almost 

 black from the black spots with which they are thickly covered ; 

 there are three longitudinal stripes of flesh white on the back, 

 and a row of kidney-shaped spots of the same color on each 

 side of the body. The warts are dark gray, and each one pro- 

 duces a thin cluster of spreading blackish hairs. They eat the 

 leaves of plantain and of other herbaceous plants, and it is 

 stated* that they sometimes make great devastation among 

 young Indian corn in the Southern States. 



A much more abundant species in Massachusetts is that 

 which has been called the harnessed moth, Arctia phalerata of 

 my Catalogue. It makes its appearance from the end of May 

 to the middle of August, and probably breeds throughout the 

 whole summer. It is of a pale buff' or nankin color ; the hind 

 wings next to the body and the sides of the body are reddish ; 

 on the fore ^vings are two longitudinal black stripes and four 

 triangular black spots, the latter placed near the tip ; and these 

 stripes and spots are arranged so that the bulT-colored spaces 

 between them somewhat resemble horse-harness; the hind 

 wings have several black spots near the margin; there are two 

 dots on the collar, three stripes on the thorax, and a stripe 

 along the top of the back, of a black color ; the under side of 

 the body and the legs are also black. The wings expand from 

 one inch and a half to one inch and three quarters. The 

 caterpillar is not yet known to me. This moth, in many re- 

 spects, resembles one called PhijUira^ by Drury, rarely found 

 here, but abundant in the Southern States ; the fore wings of 

 which are black, with one longitudinal line, two transverse 

 lines, and near the tip two zigzag lines forming a W, of a buff 

 color. 



The feelers and tongue of the foregoing moths, though short, 

 are longer than in the following species, which have these 

 parts, as well as the head, smaller and more covered with haks. 

 Some of the latter may be said to occupy the centre or chief 



* Abbot's Insects of Georgia, p. 125, pi. 63. t More properly Philyra. 



