234 COMMON BRITISH MOTHS 



and, with the exception of the Lobster Moth (Fagi), in the females 

 also. 



The larvae, like those of the last family, have no anal claspers, 

 and stand, when at rest, with both ends of the body raised. They 

 have two ' tails ' projecting from the last segment. The largest of 

 them (the Puss), and three smaller species (Kittens) that closely 

 resemble it in habits, all construct hard cocoons to be presently de- 

 scribed ; but the larva of the Lobster Moth spins a light cocoon 

 among the leaves of trees. 



They all spend the winter in the chrysalis state. 



The Poplar Kitten (Dicranura biftda) 



Our illustration shows the arrangement of the white and grey on 

 the wings of this moth, but the other Kittens (Bicuspis and Furcula] 

 so closely resemble it that it is necessary to point out a mark of dis- 

 tinction. It will be observed that the fore wings are crossed by a 

 broad grey band, edged with black. This band, in the present 

 species, is almost of the same width throughout, its interior margin 

 being almost straight, and the exterior one slightly concave. In 



Furcula, the outer margin of the 

 band is generally sharply bent in- 

 ward just below the costa. In Bi- 

 cuspis the grey band varies consider- 

 ably in shape, but both this and the 

 dark blotch near the tip of the wing 

 are more sharply denned than in 

 FIG. 131.-THE POPLAR KITTEN. the other two S p e cies. 



The caterpillar is green, dotted 



with brown, and has a brown stripe on the back. This stripe is 

 broken on the third segment, and widens out on the eighth and 

 thirteenth segments. It feeds on the Poplar (Populus nigrd) and 

 Aspen (P. tremula). 



When full grown it descends to the trunk of the tree, and con- 

 structs a very hard cocoon of a glutinous substance from its own body 

 mingled with little pieces of the bark that it removes for the 

 purpose. Thus made, the cocoon so closely resembles the sur- 

 rounding bark that detection is very difficult. I have frequently 

 found these cocoons on the inner surface of loose bark. 



This moth is widely distributed, and may be searched for in 

 June and July. The larva feeds during August and September. 



