LEPIDOPTERA. 267 



Stretched between the forks of the branches a little below the 

 cluster of eggs. Under the shelter of these tents, in making 

 which they all work together, the caterpillars remain concealed at 

 all times when not engaged in eating. In crawling from twig to twig 

 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 another, their path- 

 ways in time become well carpeted with silk, which serves to 

 render their footing secure during their frequent and periodical 

 journeys in various directions, to and from their common habita- 

 tion. 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, how- 

 ever, they fast, and do not venture from their shelter. These 

 caterpillars are of a kind called lackeys in England, and livre.es 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 



* JVeustria, 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 tawny 

 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. 



