372 



BRITISH MOTHS. 



could not find that my own captives ate 

 any of the oak-leaves provided for them, but 

 feasted on juvenile Brumatas and such small 

 deer, until I expelled them from the breeding- 

 cage. These caterpillars are so decidedly 

 cannibalistic in their propensities, that in 

 default of aliens they will devour their own 

 species. When half or three-quarters grown 

 this caterpillar is excessively active, and very 

 persistent in its endeavours to escape ob- 

 servation, crawling with great activity, and 

 often wriggling backwards out of its retreat, 

 after the manner of a Tortrix : the head is 

 porrected in crawling, rounded on the crown, 

 and decidedly narrower than the body : the 

 body is nearly cylindrical, but the anterior 

 segments are attenuated. The colour of the 

 head is clear bright brown on the crown, 

 black-brown aboiit the mouth ; that of the 

 body rich velvety-brown ; the second segment 

 has three paler longitudinal lines on the back ; 

 of these the middle one is less distinctly 

 pronounced than the other two : these appear 

 like the anterior extremities of three dorsal 

 stripes, the remaining portion of which has 

 been obliterated in the great number of spe- 

 cimens, but they are slightly indicated in some 

 throughout the entire length of the body : on 

 a line with the spiracles there is present, be- 

 tween the second and third segments, and 

 again between the third and fourth segments, 

 a somewhat linear but inconstant snow-white 

 spot ; a linear white spot on the fifth and 

 another on the eleventh segment; these seem 

 like broken portions of a spiracular line which 

 is very evident in some specimens, but scarcely 

 perceptible in others; the ventral surface, legs, 

 and claspers are paler, and less velvety than 

 the dorsal surface ; the legs are variegated 

 with black. From G-uenee we learn that this 

 caterpillar, when approaching its full size, 

 descends from its exalted station amongst the 

 branches of forest trees, and feeds on humble 

 herbs, like the Orthosidce. It changes to a 

 CHRYSALIS beneath the surface of the earth. 



The MOTH appears on the wing in October, 

 and again in the spring after hybernation ; it is 

 common in England, Scotland, and Ireland. 

 (The scientific name is Scopelosoma satellitia.) 



596. The Dotted Chestnut (Dasycampa rubiginea). 



596. THE DOTTED CHESTNUT. -The palpi 

 are slightly porrected, the tips pointed and 

 naked ; the antennae are almost simple and 

 almost alike in both sexes : the fore wings are 

 rather broad and somewhat square; the hind 

 margin straight, the tip obtuse ; their colour 

 is fulvous chestnut ; the discoidal spots are 

 present, but scarcely distinguishable from the 

 general ground-colour ; the orbicular has a 

 central dot, and the lower half of the reniform 

 is represented by a dark spot ; the general 

 area of the wing is clouded with darker brown, 

 and sprinkled with blackish spots, giving the 

 insect a marked and beautiful appearance : 

 the hind wings are smoke-coloured, with a 

 pink fringe : the head and thorax are fulvous 

 chestnut; the body grayish smoke-colour, in- 

 clining to red towards the tip. 



The head of the CATERPILLAR, according to 

 Guenee, is narrower than the second segment, 

 black and shining; the body is cylindrical, 

 moniliform, and covered with numerous fasci- 

 culated hairs; its colour is sepia-brown, the 

 second segment being darker, and each of the 

 following segments having * medio-dorsal 

 black spot ; the legs and cl ipers are con- 

 colorous with the body ; the hairs are reddish- 

 brown. It feeds in July on the apple, and 

 also on the dandelion and other low plants ; 

 and changes to a CHRYSALIS in a cocoon com- 

 posed of silk and earth. 



The MOTH appears on the wing in October, 

 and again in the early spring after hyberna- 

 tion. It is a species of considerable rarity, 

 but not so rare as formerly. We learn from 

 Mr. Reading that it has been taken at Ply- 

 mouth, Bickleigh, Torquay, Teignmouth, Exe- 

 ter, Alphington, and Barnstaple, all in Devon- 

 shire ; near Weston, in Somersetshire ; in the 

 New Forest, Hampshire ; at Worcester; at 

 Brighton, in Susex ; and Norbury, in Surrey, 



