204 



BRITISH MOTHS. 



THE NEXT PRINCIPAL DIVISION OR TRIBE 



of Moths is called Cuspidates (in science 

 Cuspidatse) from the singular form of the 

 caterpillars, which frequently end in a sharp 

 point ; but in this, as in many other in- 

 stances, the name of the division does not 

 strictly apply to all of the contents of the 

 division ; thus the Hook-tips terminate in a 

 single point (figure 1), the Puss-moths in 

 two points (figure 6), and the Prominents 

 are not pointed at all (figure 13). In order 

 to be perfectly understood, I must here in- 

 troduce, in as few words as possible, a few 

 general remarks on the structure of cater- 

 pillars, although I am fully aware that in 

 doing so some little repetition is unavoid- 

 able. 



The caterpillars of moths and butterflies 

 invariably have the body divided into thir- 

 teen segments or rings ; the first of these is 

 the head, the second bears a pair of legs, 

 the third a pair of legs, and the fourth a 

 pair of legs, so that every caterpillar, like 

 all other insects, has six legs, and six only ; 

 these are hard, horny, and pointed at the 

 tip, and are constantly used by the cater- 

 pillar for holding its food firmly ; while it 

 is eating the edge of the leaf is brought to 

 the mouth, and is devoured by a series of 

 mouthfuls, the first taken as far as it can 

 reach (as represented in figure 10), the next 

 a little nearer, and the next still nearer, 

 until at last the head is brought quite up 

 to the legs (as represented in figure 4), and 

 the leaf shows by a semi-circular notch how 

 much is gone. No sooner has the mouth 

 been brought up to the legs than it is 

 stretched out again, and the same operation 

 is repeated. The legs are also used in 

 walking, but the principal use seems to be 

 holding the food steadily while it is being 

 eaten. In what are considered very scien- 

 tific entomological writings, the legs are 

 often called pro-legs or /ore-legs ; this term, 

 however, could only be strictly applied to 

 the first pair, and is moreover objectionable, 

 because it has been transferred by Messrs. 

 Kirby and Spence to the claspers, and it 

 creates confusion if we apply the same name 

 to two parts which are decidedly different. 

 The fifth and sixth segments have neither 

 legs nor claspers ; the seventh, eighth, ninth, 



and tenth segments have each a pair of 

 claspers; these are circular or oval disks 

 furnished with a fringe of incurved pre- 

 hensile hooks, which enable the caterpillar 

 to adhere tightly to any object on which '_ 

 may be resting so tightly, indeed, that rain 

 and wind in moderation cannot remove it. 

 These claspers, as I have said, have also 

 been called pro-legs, and as Messrs. Kirby 

 and Spence are the greatest and best ento- 

 mological teachers this country has ever 

 produced, the error has been repeated by 

 others up to the present day. This is one 

 of the very numerous proofs how dangerous 

 it is for those who have established a re- 

 putation to make the slightest mistake ; the 

 mistake generally proves more attractive 

 than the entire mass of truthful teaching 

 which the same authors may have diffused. 

 In the Geometers we have seen that the 

 claspers are usually absent from the seventh, 

 eighth, and ninth segments ; in Cuspidates 

 they are present on these as well as on the 

 tenth segment, but are often absent from 

 the thirteenth, and if present are almost 

 invariably useless ; sometimes, indeed, they 

 appear to be converted into horn-like ap- 

 pendages, which stand nearly erect (see 

 figure 8). Many of these curious cater- 

 pillars spin a sort of filmy surface-web, or 

 coating of silk, on the upper side of a 

 poplar or willow leaf, in order to insure a 

 safer holding for their claspers ; this is 

 more particularly the case when they are 

 about to undergo a change of skin ; on such 

 occasions it is not uncommon for the Puss- 

 moth or Kittens to remain perfectly motion- 

 less for two or three days. And not only 

 at such periods, but also daily, may these 

 curious caterpillars be found in such situa- 

 tions exposed to the full light of sunshine, 

 and scarcely moving or eating whilst day- 

 light lasts. Their voracity by night makes 

 ample amends for their abstinence by day. 

 Many of these caterpillars have humps on 

 their back, giving them a very singular 

 appearance (see figures 7, 12, and 13). No 

 Cuspidate caterpillar has the power of roll- 

 ing itself in a ring, and in this form of 

 falling to the ground in order to escape 

 observation : it would seem that their 

 general resemblance in colour to the leave* 



