THE AMERICAN LACKEY-CATERPILLAR. 371 



leaf to leaf, they spin from their mouths a slender silken 

 thread, which is a clew to conduct them back to their tents ; 

 and as they go forth and return in files, one after another, 

 their pathways in time become well carpeted with silk, which 

 serves to render their footing secure during their frequent 

 and periodical journeys, in various directions, to and from 

 their common habitation. As they increase in age and size, 

 they enlarge their tent, surrounding it, from time to time, 

 witli new layers or webs, till at length it acquires a diam- 

 eter of eight or ten inches. They come out together at 

 certain stated hours to eat, and all retire at once when their 

 regular meals are finished ; during bad weather, however, 

 they fast, and do not venture from their shelter. These 

 caterpillars (Plate VII. Fig. 13) are of a kind called lackeys 

 in England, and livrees in France, from the party-colored 

 livery in which they appear. When fully grown, they 

 measure about two inches in length. Their heads arc black ; 

 extending ' along the top of the back, from one ericl to the 

 other, is a whitish line, on each side of which, on a yellow 

 ground, are numerous short and fine crinkled black lines, 

 that, lower down, become mingled together, and form a 

 broad longitudinal black stripe, or rather a row of long black 

 spots, one on each ring, in the middle of each of which is a 

 small blue spot ; below this is a narrow wavy yellow line, 

 and lower still the sides are variegated with fine intermingled 

 black and yellow lines, which are lost at last in the general 

 dusky color of the under side of the body ; on the top of 

 the eleventh ring is a small blackish and hairy wart, and 

 the whole body is very sparingly clothed with short and 

 soft hairs, rather thicker and longer upon the sides than 

 elsewhere. The foregoing description will serve to show 

 that these insects are not the same as either the Xeustria * 



* Nevstria was the ancient n.ime of Normandy, from whence this European 

 species was first introduced into England. The Neustria caterpillar has a bluish 

 head, on which, as also on the first ring, are two black dots; the back is tawny- 

 Ted, with a central white aud two black lines from one end to the other; the sides 



