REPORTS BY THE HONORARY SCIENTISTS, 197 
DESCRIPTION OF THE INSECT. 
Moth.—The moth measures about three-quarters of an inch 
in expanse of fore-wings. The fore-wings, sub-oblong in shape, 
are light green in colour, with light fringes round the lower 
edges. The hind-wings are light grey with whitish fringes. 
The under side of the wings is light coloured. The body is 
grey. 
Caterpillar.—The caterpillar, which has the typical sixteen 
legs, is grey-green on hatching, but later is yellow-green ; the 
head is black, and there is a dark patch at the tail-end. 
There are dark warts on the back. In length the caterpillar 
may reach half an inch. 
Pupa.—The pupa is black-brown or black in colour, and 
measures barely half an inch. 
Lire-HIsTory. 
The flight-time of the moth is in June and July. The moths 
are active fliers—flying also in the daytime. The females lay 
their eggs on the buds, or on the young twigs of older oaks, 
and these eggs remain unhatched until the next year, when, on 
the bursting of the buds, and the unfolding of the young leaves, 
the caterpillars issue. Flowers as well as leaves are destroyed. 
The young caterpillars feed on the under side of the young 
leaves, but later destroys older leaves, skeletonising them and 
eating them to the mid-rib. The caterpillars have the power of 
spinning, and if disturbed they can let themselves down on 
threads, and they let themselves down also by such spun 
threads to fresh feeding-places. When full-grown the cater- 
pillar passes into the pupation stage under cover of a rolled-up 
leaf, or, if leaves be wanting, in a crevice in the bark or other 
suitable place, and the moth issues in three weeks. Attack 
is often very severe, and the result is loss of leaves, checking 
of growth, failure of acorn-production, and the dying off of 
branches here and there. 
PROTECTIVE AND REMEDIAL MEASURES. 
Unfortunately, practicable measures of defence and remedy 
are scarcely possible, treatment being difficult, not only because 
of the activity of the moths and their ability to pass from oak 
to oak for their egg-laying, but also because the egg, larval 
