LEPIDOPTERA. 287 



and from leaf to leaf, they spin from their mouths a slender 

 silken thread, which is a clue to conduct them back to their 

 tents* and as they go forth and return in files, one after an- 

 other, their pathways in time become well carpeted with silk, 

 which serves to render their footing secure during their fre- 

 quent and periodical journeys, in various directions, to and 

 from their common habitation. As they increase in age and 

 size, they enlarge their tent, surrounding it, from time to time, 

 with new layers or webs, till, at length, it acquires a diameter 

 of eight or ten inches. They come out together at certain 

 stated hours to eat, and all retire at once when their regular 

 meals are finished ; during bad weather, however, they fast, 

 and do not venture from their shelter. These caterpillars are 

 of a kind called lackeys in England, and livries in France, 

 from the party-colored livery in which they appear. When 

 fully grown they measure about two inches in length. Their 

 heads are black ; extending along the top of the back, from 

 one end to the other, is a whitish line, on each side of which, 

 on a yellow ground, are numerous short and fine crinkled black 

 lines, that, lower down, become mingled together, and form a 

 broad longitudinal black stripe, or rather a row of long black 

 spots, one on each ring, in the middle of each of which is a 

 small blue spot ; below this is a narrow wavy yellow line, and 

 lower still the sides are variegated with fine intermingled black 

 and yellow lines, which are lost at last in the general dusky 

 color of the under side of the body ; on the top of the eleventh 

 ring is a small blackish and hairy wart, and the whole body is 

 very sparingly clothed with short and soft hairs, rather thicker 

 and longer upon the sides than elsewhere. The foregoing 

 description will serve to show that these insects are not the 

 same as either the Neustria* or the campf lackey caterpillars 



* Neustria, was the ancient name of Normandy, from whence this European 

 species was first introduced into England. The Neustria caterpillar has a bluish 

 head, on which, as also on the first ring, are two black dots ; the back is ta^vny 

 red, with a central white, and two black lines from one end to the other ; the 

 sides are blue, with a narrow red stripe ; on the top of the eleventh ring is a 

 little blackish wart ; and the belly is dusky. 



t The cai<re?isis, or camp-caterpillar, has a narrow broken white line on the 

 top of the back, separating two broad red stripes, which are dotted with black ; 



