252 LLOYD'S NATURAL HISTORY. 



as a kind of whip to drive away the flies, especially the 

 Ichneumons, that alight upon its body. When touched in any 

 place, it will unsheath one of them, and sometimes both, and 

 with them strike the place where it is incommoded." 



The cocoon is very strong, being composed of bits of wood, 

 united by an adhesive kind of gummy material. 



There is an European species, very similar to this, but whiter, 

 and with fewer markings, which has sometimes been stated to 

 have been found in England. This is C. erminea, Esper ; but 

 it is doubtful whether the supposed British specimens may not 

 have been mere varieties of C. vinula. 



GENUS THAUMATOPCEA. 



Thaumatopcea, Hiibner, Verz. bek. Schmett. p. 185 (1822?). 

 Cnethocampa, Stephens, 111. Brit. Ent. Haust. ii. p. 46 (1828); 



Walker, List Lepid. Ins. Brit. Mus. v. p. 1039 (1855). 

 Thaumatocampa, Wallengren, Skand. Heter. ii. p. 158 (1871). 



Thaumatopaa, which is referred by some authors to the 

 Notodontidcs, and by others to the Lasiocampidce^ has rather 

 short antennas, bipectinated to the tip in the males, the body 

 stout and pilose, tufted at the extremity, and not extending much 

 beyond the hind-wings ; wings rather short, broad, rounded 

 at the extremities, and rather thinly scaled ; the fore-wings not 

 much longer than the hind-wings; legs pilose; hind tibiae with 

 two small apical spurs. 



This genus includes several European species, two of which 

 have been erroneously reputed British. The larvae are 

 remarkable for their gregarious habits ; they are cylindrical 

 and hairy, and form large nests on trees, from which they 

 march out in regular order in search of food, whence they are 

 called Processionary Caterpillars. They are also remarkable 

 for the terribly urticating properties of their hairs, which, 



