266 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



with the most perfect symmetry, anrl are united by a thick 

 tenacious cement extruded by the female; this cement, like 

 that made by plasterers, is not dissolved or disintegrated by 

 wet, and retains the eggs, or at least the egg-shells, ai sitit 

 for many years ; each individual egg is pitted or depressed 

 in the middle, and round tliis median depression is a raised 

 ring, and then an annular depression ; the young larvae ap- 

 pear about the middle of April, sooner or later, according to 

 the season ; on emerging they leave the egg by an aperture 

 made in the median depression : as soon as they escape from 

 the egg-shell, all those that have issued from one mass of 

 eggs unite in spinning a silken tent, enclosing a k\v leaves, 

 on which they feed until entirely consumed ; they then ex- 

 tend their dwelling, and enclose other leaves, which they 

 consume in the same way ; when about to change their skins 

 they creep from under this tent, and, fixing themselves on 

 the outside, there undergo the process of moulting, the old 

 skins adhering to the roof of their dwelling : I have seen 

 more than fifty of these left-o(f habiliments decorating the 

 exterior of a single tent. After some weeks the larvae sepa- 

 rate and feed singly. In gardens this species feeds on apple, 

 plum, and many other trees and shrubs, even sometiuies on 

 laurel ; and in woods, on oaks, whitethorn, poplars, sallows, 

 &c. ; indeed it seems almost omnivorous : it is excessively 

 destructive, not only stripping the trees of leaves, but leaving 

 ils unsightly webs spun over every branch. When fidl-fed 

 it rests in a straight position, but falls off its food-plant if 

 slightly shaken ; it does not feign death, but immediately 

 cra\yls towards the trunk of the tree whence it has fallen, and 

 begins to reascend ; it never rolls in a ring, but is of a limp 

 and flaccid habit. Head semiporrect, quite as broad as the 

 2nd segment ; body elongate, almost uniformly cylindrical, 

 but having a conspicuous skinfold along the sides above the 

 legs, and the 12th segment being transversely dorsally ele- 

 vated ; every part of the body emits longish hairs, but these 

 are not sufficiently numerous to conceal the brilliant colours 

 hereafter described. Head bluish lead- colour, with two very 

 conspicuous spots on the forehead, which have a superficial 

 but very striking resemblance to eyes ; 2nd segment dull 

 orange, with two dorsal subquadrate black spots ; the rest of 

 the body is beautifully striped ; there is a narrow medio-dorsal 



