200 OAK EGGER-MOTH. 



considered by Mr. Stephens as referable to the true 

 Bom. Quercus of Linnaeus, in whose description that 

 character is particularly mentioned. The others, 

 of which the individual figured is an example, he 

 has described separately under the name of L. 

 Roboris, adopted from Shrank. The differences 

 between the two are not, however, very important, 

 and they obviously do not exceed the limits assigned 

 to the range of deviation in the majority of variable 

 species. Neither ought the occasional dissimilarities 

 observable in the larvae to be assumed as certainly 

 indicating specific distinction, for these variations 

 often depend on age, sometimes even on the nature 

 of the food; and in such a case as the present, 

 where the sexes of the perfect insect are so unlike, it 

 is not unreasonable to suppose that they may be re- 

 spectively produced from caterpillars partaking more 

 or less of the same character. The observations of 

 De Geer have proved that in some instances the male 

 moth originates from a caterpillar of an entirely dif- 

 ferent colour from that which produces the female. 

 In the extended sense which we have assigned 

 to the name, Lasiocampa Quercus is an abundant 

 moth in most parts of England, particularly in the 

 south. The woods in the neighbourhood of London, 

 the New Forest, woods in Cambridge-shire, &c. 

 produces it in plenty. It appears to become more 

 scarce as we advance northward, and it is by no 

 means common in Scotland, although occurring at 

 times at least throughout the southern division of 

 that country. 



