260 roPLAR. 



The handsome and very pecuhar-looking caterpillars of the 

 Puss Moth feed especially on Poplar and on various kinds of 

 Willow. They are injurious, firstly, by devouring the leafage, 

 and afterwards by the damage they cause to the bark at the 

 part of the stem where they form their cocoon. This attack 

 is reported almost every year, and where it occurs on good- 

 sized trees may do little mischief, but to young trees in 

 nurseries it is very hurtful. 



In 1885, especially, I had notes from Mr. J. Low, forester 

 on the Piothes Estate, Fife, of the caterpillars being at work in 

 the middle of summer on Balsam Poplars, from some of which 

 they had entirely stripped the leaves. These trees had been 

 planted in the previous spring, and were from four to five 

 feet high ; and in another instance the rapidity with which 

 the caterpillars devoured the leaves was specially mentioned. 

 During the present year a very curious instance was reported 

 to me from Lincolnshire, in which the little trees were so 

 young and small that the quantity of woody material and 

 bark, removed by the caterpillar for its cocoon, had so weak- 

 ened the slender stem that the young Poplar plant had 

 broken off. In the specimen sent me, the slender stem was 

 completely bared of bark for some little distance from the 

 hard cocoon, and the young plantation was reported to be 

 practically destroyed. 



The caterpillar, when full-grown, is of the size and shape 

 figured (p. 266), and may be easily recognised by the position it 

 is fond of assuming, with the fore part raised, as if going to 

 fight, and the head drawn squarely back into the next 

 segment, and likewise by the tail of the caterpillar ending in 

 two rough horn-like prolongations, from each of which, when 

 vexed or alarmed, it has the power of protruding a long 

 streamer, like a morsel of beautiful rose-coloured silken thread. 



The colours of the caterpillar are purplish brown, streaked 

 lengthwise with white lines above the white band which is 

 shown in the figure, passing in a sharply-curved course from 

 head to tail, and below this white band the colours are chiefly 

 greenish. When the head is withdrawn into the next segment 

 the part surrounding it is pink, with two black or dark spots 

 somewhat at the sides. 



The moths are white and grey, with black markings, so 

 that the figure (p. 265) gives a very fair idea of the tint as 

 well as the shape. From their soft downy appearance they 

 are known as Puss Moths. The female moth is considerably 

 larger than the male figured. 



The moths lay their eggs on the leaves of the Willows or 

 Poplars which they infest. When the caterpillars are full- 

 grown they form an exceedingly tough cocoon of a kind of 



