182 AFFLE-TREE CATERPILLAR — DIFFERS FROM THE EUROPEAN. 



tinct genus, named Clisiocampa. This genus was formed by Mr. 

 Curtis, for the reception of two common European moths, which 

 are most intimately related, both in their appearance and habits 

 to our American insect, one of them named C. Neustria, strip- 

 ping the foilage from the fruit trees in Europe, and forming its 

 nests upon the trees in the same manner as does our caterpillar. 

 It was hence formerly supposed that our insect was probably 

 identical with the Neustria. The botanist Sir James Edwin 

 Smith, however, in editing Abbot's notes and drawings of the 

 Lepidopterous insects of Georgia, deeming that another American 

 moth which has been named Clisiocampa sylvatica by Dr. Harris, 

 was the Neustria , supposed this was the other European species, 

 and accordingly published it as the castrensis of Linnaeus. It is 

 to Dr. Harris that we are indebted for setting this subject in its 

 correct light, and showing that both our American species are 

 distinct from those of Europe. And he accordingly named our 

 apple-tree caterpillar Clisiocampa Americana, or the American 

 lackey moth, the name lackey being the current English desig- 

 nation for these moths, in consequence of the blue, red and 

 yellow stripes upon the caterpillars having some resemblance to 

 those on the coats in which the lackeys or footmen are dressed. 

 About the only difference which can be discerned between our 

 American lackey moth and the Neustria, is in the two stripes 

 upon its fore wings, they being straight and parallel in our insect, 

 whereas in that of Europe these stripes diverge slightly, so that 

 at their inner ends especially, they are more distant from each 

 other than in the middle. But as the colors and stripes are sub- 

 ject to considerable variations, we could not be fully assured that 

 the insects of the two continents are distinct by merely examin- 

 ing them in their perfect state. When we come to look at their 

 larvee, however, all doubts upon this subject vanish, the cater- 

 pillar of the Neustria having three red stripes along each side, 

 which do not appear in our caterpillar, and it is destitute of the 

 rows of light blue spots on the sides which we always find in 

 the latter. And if any further evidence was necessary as to the 

 correctness of Dr. Harris in regarding these insects as being dis- 

 tinct species, we have it in some of the habits of the caterpillars. 

 The European insect attacks almost all kind of trees, evergreens 



