56 NATURAL HISTORY. [cH. III. 



The great eggar moth (Lasiocampa quercus), is 

 another example in which the hairs of the cater- 

 pillar are introduced into the structure of the co- 

 coon. The name of the genus has been given to 

 this moth, in allusion to the hairiness of the cater- 

 pillars. In this insect it is observable that the size 

 of the cocoon does not appear to be at all propor- 

 tioned to that of the caterpillar ; the former being 

 so small that it is difficult to conceive how so large 

 a caterpillar can shut itself up in a domicile as small 

 and inconvenient as those dungeon cells built in the 

 "olden time," in which the unfortunate captive 

 could neither stand upright nor lay down. And this 

 is the more remarkable, because the insects being 

 at full liberty and not stinted of materials, there 

 seems no sufficient reason why they should con- 

 fine themselves within such narrow bounds. Some 

 species, however, run into the opposite extreme ; 

 those, for instance, of the ghost moth (Hepiolus hu- 

 muli), and the cream-spot tiger (Arctia villica\ are 

 several times larger than the chrysalis which each 

 contains. 



The great eggar moth is of very common occur- 

 rence in England, and its larva is almost one of the 

 largest caterpillars which we have, being often 

 nearly four inches long- It feeds upon various 

 trees and shrubs ; it is of an ochreous colour, with 

 black rings and white spots, and is very hairy. It 

 is full-fed about the end of June. The cocoon is 

 of a cylindrical form, with the ends rounded, and 

 the outer surface appears nearly smooth ; hence in 

 its appearance it so much resembles an egg, that 

 the moths which are produced from this kind of 

 cocoons are termed eggars. On touching it, how- 

 ever, it is found to be set with stiffish hairs. In 

 order to form its cocoon of this figure, the caterpil- 

 lar keeps its body continually bent in different po- 

 sitions while it is employed in its formation, each 

 end of the body being constantly bent in the shape 



