LIFE-HISTORY OF ArORIA CRAT^GI. 135 



upper cuticle of the leaf, over which a thin layer of silk is 

 spun in connection with the silken nest, into which they re- 

 treat and rest after feeding ; only a few emerge at the time to 

 feed. 



Shortly after the first moult it measures J in. long. The head 

 is large, black, and shining. On the first segment is a black, 

 chitinous band, and a black chitinous disc covering the dorsal 

 surface of the last segment, resembling the head. The ground 

 colour is an olive-yellow ; the surface is sprinkled with minute 

 black points and numerous long and short fine silky white hairs ; 

 some are very long and curved. The body is striped longitudinally 

 with brownish on the dorsal surface ; one stripe being medio- 

 dorsal, the others sub-dorsal. The ground colour of the spira- 

 cular region is greyish, with a very fine longitudinal brown 

 spiracular line ; the spiracles are black. If disturbed they crawl 

 rapidly, and retreat backwards like a micro-larva. When fifteen 

 days old it measures J in, long. 



The larvae from the first batch of eggs, which hatched on 

 August 9th, moulted the second time on September 2nd ; others 

 moulted during September. It is in this stage after the second 

 moult that they hybernate. 



They feed in relays, numbering about one or two dozen indi- 

 viduals, at a time ; they march out of the nest together, and feed 

 in a row side by side, feeding on the cuticle of the leaf, and retire 

 in a body within the nest, formed of a dense silken web spun 

 between the leaves. Many continued feeding until the third week 

 in October, when all entered into hybernation. They hybernate 

 in batches in separate compartments varying in size, and often 

 woven side by side in the interior of the nest, which is a tough, 

 dense, silken mass of a greyish colour, spun over the remaining 

 parts of the leaves upon which they fed, and around the 

 branches, generally between a small fork. On February 16th, 

 1904, I examined one of the hybernaculums, and found upon 

 cutting open one of the compartments, a little party of larvae 

 huddled together, the long, soft hair of their bodies inter- 

 mingling gives them the appearance of being enveloped in 

 down ; this, coupled with the density of the wall of the com- 

 partment and the massive outer covering of web, affords them 

 great protection against cold and damp, the whole combined 

 forming a very secure and snug abode. 



On March 24th, 1905, three larvae crawled out of one of 

 the hybernaculums, and rested on the outside of the web, 

 followed the next day by others. 



On the 26th, a bright sunny day, several emerged from 

 different nests, and fed on the expanding buds, retreating into 

 the webs after feeding. On the 24th I put a few upon a sprig 

 of plum bearing tender young leaves, and by the following day 

 they had fed a little ; the next morning I found them feeding 



