FAMILY COCHLIDIID/E 



"The rearing of larvae . . . when joined with the entomological collection, 

 adds immense interest to Saturday afternoon rambles, and forms an admirable 

 introduction to the study of physiology." 



HERBERT SPENCER, in Education. 



This family, which has generally been known as the Limaco- 

 didce, is described as follows by Hampson, "The Moths of 

 India," Vol. I, p. 371 : 



"Fore wing with two internal veins; vein \b forked at the 

 base. Hind wing with vein 8 arising free, then bent down and 

 usually anastomosing shortly with 7 near the base of the cells; 

 three internal veins. 



Larva limaciform, and either bearing series of spinous sting- 

 ing tubercles, or smooth and segmented, or unsegmented with 

 very thick transparent cuticle; the head, legs, and claspers small 

 and often retractile. 



Cocoon hard and compact; round or oval in shape, with a 

 lid for the escape of the imago prepared by the larva." 



These curious insects, the larvae of which are commonly 

 known as "slug-caterpillars," are better represented in the tropics 

 of both hemispheres than in the more temperate regions. Never- 

 theless our fauna contains quite a large number of genera and 

 species. Of the majority of these we give illustrations. 



Genus SIBINE Herrich-Schaeffer 



(i) Sibine stimulea Clemens, Plate I, Fig. 6, larva; Plate 

 XLVII, Fig. 9, $ . (The Saddle-back.) 



Syn. ephippiatus Harris. 



The green caterpillars with their little brown saddle on the 

 back are familiar to every Southern boy who has wandered in the 

 corn-fields, and many a lad can recall the first time he came in 

 contact with the stinging bristles as he happened to brush against 

 the beastie. Nettles are not to be compared in stinging power to 

 the armament of this beautifully colored larva. 



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