308 THE GYPSY MOTH. 



and the first molt, and also between the remaining molts, is 

 as follows : 



From the time of hatching till the first molt, 8, 9, 10 and 11 

 days. 



From the time of the first till the second molt, 7 and 8 days. 

 From the time of the second till the third molt, 7 and 8 days. 

 From the time of the third till the fourth molt, 6, 7 and 8 days. 

 From the time of the fourth till the fifth molt, 7, 8 and 9 days. 



According to my own observations, the time between the 

 hatching of the eggs, which occurred April 28 and 29, 1894, 

 and the first molt, and also between the remaining molts, is 

 as follows : 



From the time of hatching till the first molt, 9, 10 and 11 days. 

 From the time of the first till the second molt, 11 days. 

 From the time of the second till the third molt, 5, 6 and 7 days. 

 From the time of the third till the fourth molt, 10 and 11 days. 

 From the time of the fourth till the fifth molt, 8, 9 and 10 days. 

 From the time of the fifth till the sixth molt, 13 days. 



The Process of Molting. 



When preparing to molt the young caterpillars remain 

 quiet for twenty-four hours or more. The head is withdrawn 

 from the old head covering, giving the caterpillar the appear- 

 ance of having a very small head. The skin behind the head 

 covering is ruptured, and the caterpillar crawls out of it, the 

 whole process occupying not more than two minutes. Imme- 

 diately after molting the long hairs of the body are curled up 

 considerably, but gradually straighten out in about an hour. 

 At intervals of about five minutes the caterpillar twists about, 

 bringing the head to the right and left and upwards and 

 backwards, nearly to the posterior end of the body, as if 

 stretching itself or trying its muscles. The head grows per- 

 ceptibly darker, even within an hour from the time of molt- 

 ing, and in a few hours the head becomes black and shining 

 and the caterpillar commences feeding. 



The approach of the molting period, in the later molts, is 

 indicated by the development of a light-colored area, which 

 forms behind the head during three or four days preceding 



