LEPIDOPTERA. LARV.E. 287 



In the third group, Noctuina, some have sixteen, four- 

 teen, or twelve legs, the latter walking with a somewhat 

 looping action, like those of the next family, Geometrina. 

 In this family some of the larvse are humped, some hairy, 

 some have retractile heads, others are furnished with 

 horny plates, others garnished with short and stiff" hair. 



Geometrina, the fourth group, is named from the 

 peculiarity of the Iarva3. These are the well-known 

 " Loopers " : Caterpillars which, having legs (true and 

 false) only at the two extremities of their bodies, ad- 

 vance by nearly their whole length at each step, whence 

 their name, "Geometrina," or earth-measurers. The 

 Caterpillar, fixing its hind-legs to the substance on 



Fig. 67. 



Larva of a Geometer or Looper Moth (Ennomos), extended 

 and looped. 



which it is walking, stretches the body to its full length, 

 takes hold with the fore-legs, and instantly draws the 

 hind-legs close to them : again stretching out the fore- 



