26 THE GENERA OF BRITISH MOTHS. 
but both sexes are remarkably small in proportion to the Caterpillar, which, when well fed, often attains a large 
size. No sooner do the leaves appear in spring upon our fruit-trees than these destructive larve appear, the 
eggs being invariably hatched at that season. They do not disperse when hatched, but form for themselves a 
web, which encloses a portion of the tender budding foliage for the use of the colony in general. This web is 
enlarged as the foliage is consumed and the Caterpillars increase in size, till at last many a devoted tree is 
completely enclosed, presenting an appearance the reverse of agreeable to the gardener. Trees, if not protected, 
are often killed by the devastations of two or three broods of this destructive larva. It is probable, although 
they appear to consume the foliage within their web, that they occasionally, after they attain a certain size, 
disperse at night to seck other food, returning to the web at daybreak. The Caterpillar (No. 8) is so variously 
coloured, and its delicate stripes of gray, blue, orange, white, ete. so numerous, that a really accurate representa- 
tion is almost impossible. The dorsal line is generally pure white ; to this succeeds an orange line followed by a 
stripe of black and a stripe of blue, after which the orange stripe is repeated, followed by one of a pale silvery 
blue. In the silvery blue stripe black dots occur on the third, fourth, and twelfth segments. The hairs are dark 
brown above, and orange towards the legs. When about to change to the pupa state, these Caterpillars form a 
very pretty yellowish cocoon, which appears powdered with flakes of dust of a pale sulphur colour, The Moth 
appears in July. 
Clisiocampa Castrensis is popularly termed the ‘‘ Ground Lackey,” as the Caterpillar, instead of feeding 
upon trees, is found near the ground upon such plants as Plantago Lanceolata and Daucus Carota, This 
species is exceedingly like the preceding, both in size and colour, but may be distinguished by the paler and 
yellower colour of the thorax, which is often dark fawn-coloured, in C. Neustria. The wings, too, are more ruddy 
in their tone, though in that respect both species vary very considerably. It is more distinet from C. Neustria 
in the Caterpillar stage, which has been well described by Mr. Stainton, than in the perfect insect. The Cater- 
pillar of C. Custrensis has the white line down the back much less clear and distinct than that of C. Neustria. 
Below this is a broad stripe of rich orange brown, and then a narrower stripe of delicate whitish grey, in which, 
on the third, fourth, fifth, and twelfth segments, is a black spot, while the larva of C. Neustria has no spot on 
the jijth segment. ,The hairs are add golden brown, while in the larva of C. Neustria they are, as stated above, 
dark brown on the upper part of the body, and only golden brown just above the line of the legs. The hairs, too, 
are decidedly longer than those of C. Neustria. 
In the genus Eriogaster we have but one British species. The bodies of the females in this genus are 
terminated by a thick, woolly mass, which is used by the parent to clothe and protect the eggs. The wings are 
but thinly clothed with seales, so that they have a slightly transparent appearance. The antenne are bipectinated 
in the males, and serrated in the females. The larvee are gregarious, inhabiting a common web ; but when about 
to change to the pupa state, they disperse, and each forms its own cocoon, of compact, oval form, among dry 
rubbish or dead leaves, 
Eriogaster Lanestris (the Small Eggar, No. 9) has received its popular name from the egg-like appearance 
of its cocoon, and its systematic specific name, Lanestris, from the woolly character of the body. Except in their 
simply serrated antenne and the woolly tuft at the tail, the females closely resemble the males, though they are 
generally rather larger, The Caterpillar (No. 5) feeds on Sloe, White-thorn, and other trees, and is generally 
found about the end of June. It is said that, though residing in a common web, they disperse at night to feed, 
returning to their web before daylight, until they finally separate for the purpose of forming their cocoons. This 
species passes the winter in the pupa state, the perfeet insect appearing in March or April, but it sometimes 
remains two or three years in the chrysalis. It is not very rare. 
The whole of the Insects in Plates VIL, VIII., and IX. have been drawn from specimens furnished by 
Mr, Garduer, of High Holborn, who has always on sale a number of fine specimens of British Lepidoptera. 
