THE 



MONTHLY MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 



OCTOBER 1, 1874. 



T. — The Hairs of Caterpillars. By T. W. Wonpor (Hon. Sec. 

 -Brighton and Sussex Natural History Society). 



{Read before the Brighton axd Sussex Natural History Society, 

 July 23, 1874.) 



Plate LXXV. 



If either works on the microscope or on entomology be consulted, 

 very little, if any, information can he obtained on the hairs of cater- 

 pillars or larvae either as regards their structure or the variety and 

 beauty of their forms, but here and there a few words may be 

 found upon the urticating or stinging properties of the hairs of 

 some caterpillars. 



This urticating property was noticed in very early days, for, 

 according to Pliny,* the Cornelian law, De Sicariis, was extended 

 to those persons who administered the hairs of the fir moth, 

 Cn. PityocamjM, and which were supposed to be a very deleterious 

 poison. Even when applied externally they occasioned a very 

 intense degree of pain, itching, fever, and restlessness. 



Occasionally allusion is made to other members of the same 

 family as possessing similar disagreeable efiects, viz. Cn. pinivora, 

 stone pine moth, and Cn. processionea, the processionary moth, the 

 last named so called on account of the habits of the larvae, when 

 moving in the evening in search of their food. One caterpillar 

 leads the way, followed for some two feet by single caterpillars in 

 Indian file, then come ranks in twos, succeeded, at about the 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE LXXV. 



Fig. 1.— Garden tiger. C. caja. x 120. 

 „ 2. — Hop dog. 0. pudihunda. x 120. 

 „ 3. — Oak eggar. B. quercus. x 120. 

 „ 4. — Lappet. L. quercifoUa. X 120. 

 „ 5. — Satin. L. salicis. x 120. 

 „ 6. — Drinker. 0. potatoria. x 120. 

 „ 7. — Brown tail. L. Chrysorrhcea. x 210. 

 „ 8. — Vapourer. 0. antiqua. x 120. 

 „ 9.— White plume. X 120. 

 „ 10. — Gipsy. L. dispar. x 120. 

 .., 11. — Lackey. E. lanestris. x 120. 

 „ 12. — Sycamore tussock. A. acen's. x 120. 



* ' Hist. Nat.,' I., xxxviii., cap. 9. 

 VOL. XII. 



