418 LEPIDOPTERA. 



doubly feathered, Lut tlio fringe is narrower throughout tlian 

 in the other sex. The body and the wings ahnost exactly 

 resemble those of the foreign silk-worm moth in shape ; but 

 the fore wings are rather more pointed and hooked at the tip. 

 There are no bristles and hooks to liold together the wings, 

 which, when at I'est, cover the sides like a sloping roof, and 

 the front edge of the hind wings does not project beyond that 

 of the fore wings. These moths are of a reddish-gray color, 

 finely sprinkled all over with minute black dots ; the pos- 

 terior margin of the hind Avings above, and the under side 

 of the fore wings, especially behind the tip, are tinged Avith 

 tawny red ; there is a small black dot near the middle of 

 the fore wings ; and both the fore and hind wings are crossed 

 by a narrow blackish band, beginning Avith an angle on the 

 front edge of the former, and passing obliquely backwards 

 to the inner edge of the hind Avings. They expand from 

 one inch and three eighths to two inches, or a little more. 



The last family of the Bombyces remaining to be noticed 

 may be called Notodontians (Notodgxtad^e). Many of the 

 caterpillars belonging to it liaA'e liunched backs, or tooth-like 

 prominences on the back ; and hence the origin of the name 

 of this fxmily, Avhich comes from a Avord signifying toothed 

 back. ]\Iost of these caterpillars are entirely naked ; some 

 of them are doAvny or slightly hairy, but the hairs generally 

 groAV immediately from the skin, and not in spreading clus- 

 ters from little Avarts on the rings. They have sixteen legs ; 

 some raise the last pair Avhen at rest, and some keep these 

 alAvays elevated and do not use them in creeping, in Avhich 

 case these terminal legs are lengthened, and form a forked 

 appendage or tail to the hinder part of the body. Hence 

 such caterpillars are often described as having only fourteen 

 legs, although the Avanting members really exist in a modified 

 form. ]\Ioreover, the caterpillars of some of the Notodon- 

 tians seem to be Avithout legs, and even on close examination 

 only the soles of the feet can be perceived. The Notodon- 

 tians are found chiefly on trees and shrubs, the leaves of 



