TRIFID^E. 21 



two ; these appear like the anterior extremities of dorsal and 

 subdorsal stripes, the remaining portion of which in most 

 specimens has been obliterated, but which in some are 

 slightly indicated throughout the entire length of the body ; 

 on a line with the spiracles is, between the second and third, 

 and again between the third and fourth segments, a some- 

 what linear but inconstant snow-white spot, a linear white 

 spot on the fifth and another on the eleventh segment; 

 these seem like broken portions of a spiracular line, which is 

 very evident in some specimens, but scarcely perceptible in 

 others ; ventral surface, legs, and prolegs paler and less 

 velvety than the dorsal surface ; legs variegated with black. 

 (Newman.) 



May and June on oak, sloe, maple, willow, the seeds and 

 leaves of wych-elm and of primrose, various low-growing 

 plants, and the larvae of its own and especially of other 

 species. This last depraved habit, however, does not seem 

 to be universal. Dr. Chapman, when expressly experiment- 

 ing upon this habit, could not induce his larvae to destroy 

 their fellow-captives ; he even confined several larvae in a 

 small tumbler and stinted their supply of vegetable food 

 without provoking them to do each other any injury. On 

 the other hand, Mr. Newman relates how he lost a brood of 

 fifty-seven larvae of Tccniocampa populati, all of which were 

 devoured by a single larva of the present species accident- 

 ally introduced with fresh food. Those also which h'e inten- 

 tionally reared for description refused oak-leaves and feasted 

 on larvae of the common winter-moth (Cheimatobia brumata) 

 and others. This habit is indeed so well established that 

 German entomologists know this larva as "Mordraupe" 

 (murder-caterpillar). In other respects it seems to be arbi- 

 trary in its tastes, since it sometimes leaves trees when well 

 grown to feed on low-growing plants, yet has been known, when 

 feeding upon primrose, to leave it and eagerly devour the leaves 

 of wych-elm. When young it is said to draw together the 

 leaves of the tree it inhabits and hide between them. 



