LIPARID^. 295 



afflicting any tender-skinned person rashly assaulting it with 

 the beating-stick. Mr. H. Moncreaff noticed a larva rubbing 

 its hairs across the scarlet tubercles on its back, and upon 

 examination found at the base of each tubercle a valve, 

 opening to a gland from which an oily substance exuded. 

 This oily substance he found, on being applied to the skin, to 

 produce at once inflammatory swellings and all the irritation 

 usually caused by contact with the hairs. This irritating 

 property appears therefore to be external to the hairs and to 

 retain its virulence, unimpaired, when dry, and for long 

 periods. The irritation is usually supposed to be mechanical, 

 arising from fragments of the hairs sticking into the skin, 

 but Mr. Moncreaff's explanation, derived from actual ex- 

 periment, appears to be the true one. 



The moth sits by day upon the bushes, and with its tufted 

 first pair of legs stretched forward, and long loose dorsal 

 scales, looks like a pure white entangled piece of down. It 

 flies at dusk and is readily attracted by a light. It is said to 

 possess in some small degree the urticating property of the 

 larva and cocoon, but by no means with equal virulence. 

 This stinofing: effect has been ascribed to the dense scales of 

 the anal tuft, but otherwise to the long hair-like scales of the 

 inner margin of the fore wings. Persons whose skin is not 

 tender do not appear to be affected by it. 



Apparently almost confined to the southern and eastern 

 coast counties of England, though found occasionally at 

 Whittlesford and elsewhere on the low chalk hills of Cam- 

 bridgeshire. In 1857 it was said to be abundant at Chesham, 

 Bucks, and there is some reason to believe that its range was 

 formerly much wider than at present. Its most favoured 

 district is certainly the coast of Kent and Sussex, and in 

 some years it has abounded to such an extent in the Isle of 

 Sheppey, at Heme Bay, Folkestone, Deal, Hastings, 

 Chichester, and Gravesend, as to become a complete pest, 

 stripping the hedges of their leaves, and rendering them 



