OAK-LEAF ROLLER MOTH. 91 
ravaged, when their feeding time is done, and in due course come up 
from it again in moth form, after going through their conditions of 
larva and chrysalis to winged and wingless moths. 
The kinds of caterpillars which were especially noticed as doing 
mischief last season were those of the Winter Moth (Cheimatobia 
brumata), of the Mottled Umber Moth (Hybernia defoliaria), and of the 
Oak-leaf Roller Moth (Tortrix viridana). Other kinds were present, 
but not nearly to such an observable extent; and though the life- 
history of the above-mentioned kinds is fully known, it may save 
trouble in reference to give again a short account of each. 
The Oak-leaf Roller Moth, figured at p. 84, has the head, the body 
between the wings, and the fore wings of a light green; the hind 
wings silver grey or brownish; and both pairs of wings with whitish 
fringes. The fore wings are about one inch in expanse, and have a 
whitish line on the front edge. They appear towards the end of June. 
Kgg-laying takes place during summer or autumn on some part 
of the tree,—as, for instance, boughs, &c., or leaf-buds, and in the 
following spring the caterpillars hatch at the time when the young 
Oak-leaves are expanding. ‘These caterpillars vary in colour from 
greenish grey or lead colour, with head and next segment black, in 
their early life, to dull green afterwards, with the head, edges of the 
next segment, and patch at the tail, and various smaller details, black. 
They have some brownish hairs, and are a little more than half an 
inch long, and are sixteen-footed,—that is, with three pairs of claw- 
feet, four pairs of sucker-feet beneath the body, and another pair at 
the end of the tail. 
Sometimes, when favoured by circumstances,—as for instance, the 
weather exactly suiting them,—they appear in myriads, as was re- 
corded as far back as the year 1827, and do immense damage to tree 
leafage, especially to that of Oaks. They tale their popular name 
from their power of rolling the end of the leaf into a kind of cylinder 
(see figure, p. 84). This they secure from flying open by spinning it 
together with threads for a shelter, as a place in which to turn to 
chrysalids; but on alarm, or apparently simply for their own pleasure, 
they can let themselves down by threads for six or eight feet, and 
swing in the air, returning at leisure, each grub up its own thread, to 
the bough. In case, however, of the great number of caterpillars 
having so devoured the leafage that there are no tunnels or spun-up 
remains of leaves left for them to turn to chrysalids in, then the 
caterpillars shelter themselves instead in such crannies as they can 
find in the bark or boughs, securing themselves by a covering of spun 
threads (see p. 85). 
The chrysalids are of a blackish brown varied with red, and from 
these the moths for the most part come out towards the end of June 
