THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 83 



adds that C. processionea spins up gregariously, in the web 

 previously inhabited by the caterpillar. I think it rnay be 

 interesting to add a few references to the history of Cnellio- 

 campa pityocampa. 1. Pliny, (C.S.) ' Historia mundi natu- 

 ralis,' lib. xxxviii. c. 9. 2. Mouffet, ' Theatruni,' p. 185. 

 3. Amoreux (P. J.), 'Notice des Insectes de la France 

 repute Venimeux,' p. 158. 4. Kirby and Spence, 'Intro- 

 duction to Entomology,' vol. i. p. 131 : "Of tiiis nature also 

 is the famous Pityocampa of the ancients, the moth of the fir 

 Lasiocampa pityocampa, the hairs of which are said to 

 occasion a very intense degree of pain, fever, heat, itching 

 and restlessness. It was accounted by the Romans a very 

 deleterious poison, as is evident from the circumstance of the 

 Cornelian law, 'de Sicariis,' being extended to persons who 

 administer Pityocampa." Again, Kirby and Spence, ' I. F..^ 

 vol. ii. p. 22 : " Equally amusing is the progress of another 

 moth, the Pityocampa, before noticed. Tliey march together 

 from their common citadel, consisting of pine leaves united 

 and interwoven with silk which they spin, in a single line, 

 thus forming a series of living wreaths, which change their 

 shape every moment: all move with a uniform pace, no one 

 pressing loo forward, or loitering behind ; when one stops, all 

 stop, each defiling in exact military order." And Reaumur 

 suggests that the singular anal patch of scales, resembling 

 those of the wings, but considerably larger, which is found in 

 the female of Cnethocampa pityocampa, is destined for the 

 purpose of covering her eggs. 5. Stephens, in his 'Illustra- 

 tions of British Entomology, Ilaustellata,' vol. ii. p. 48, has 

 described Cnethocampa pityocampa as a British insect, on 

 the authority of a stunted specimen in the British Museum, 

 said to have been taken in Devonshire by the late Dr. Leach. 

 I ought to add that the account given by Mouffet in 1C34, to 

 which I have referred above, is well worth an attentive 

 perusal, not only as a specimen of minute and accurate 

 description, but also as showing how ably and elegantly the 

 Latin language was employed in Natural History a century 

 before the invention of what is called the "language of 

 Science." — Edward Newvuiv.] 



Swan)iwg of a Brood of ]]'in<jed Ants. — On the afternoon 

 of October 6lh, at about 4 i'.m., we were attracted to a part 

 of the large yard surrounding our home by a multitude of 



