THE LARCH LAPPET: ITS MIMICRY AND RARITY. 



89 



the same, and what is most remarkable, it in one place shows a whitish 

 streak continued from the bark upon the surface of the cocoon. And 

 finally, in their perfect state, the moths imitate appearances which are 

 common upon the particular trees on which they dwell ; those upon 

 deciduous trees, in the colors and scalloped margins of their wings 

 resembling a tuft of withered leaves ; those upon evergreens resemb- 

 ling a scar where the turpentine has exuded and concreted into a 

 wliilish mass." 



The above statements are not too highly drawn. On the occasion 

 of my rearing a colony of the caterpillars, noticed below, I called the at- 

 tention of an entomological friend, who prided him- 

 self on the possession of naturally keen sight so trained 

 by long experience in collecting, that fevv caterpillars 

 could escape his eye, to four of these larva3 upon 

 a small twig before him. They were extended at 

 length upon the side of the twig toward him ; they 

 Avei-e within reach of his extended finger ; but he Avas 

 unable to discover them until their presence was re- 

 vealed to him, by my touching them one after the 

 other, aijd eliciting unmistakable evidence of life. 

 Their cocoons whicii I have met with abroad, Avonder- 

 fully borrowed the hue of the bark where they rested, 

 and simulated excrescences upon the twigs. One of 

 Fig. u.— Cocoon tliem, more conspicuously placed than many, is shown 



of TOLYPE LARICIS, •-,-,• -, ^ 



attached to a twig. inr<lg. 14. 



The Species Usually Rare. 

 The insect is probably not rare in nature, but for the reason above 

 given, it usually eludes observation. The caterpillars remain motion- 

 less during the day upon the bark, which they only leave on the ap- 

 proach of night for feeding on the leaves. The flight of the moths is 

 almost confined to the male sex ; their colors are dingy and obscure ; 

 they take wing after night-fall, and we may venture to assert that their 

 flight extends but little beyond the •• bee-line" in which they are un- 

 erringly drawn to their mates. The species is a rarity in our collec- 

 tions. Its history has never been written, and I am therefore glad, 

 through the opportunity recently presented of observing its transforma- 

 tions, to be able to contribute the account to the still small number of 

 life-histories of our insects which we possess. Such contributions, 

 however humble, are always appreciated by true naturalists, and they 

 form the foundation of our best economic work. 

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