IXSECTA. 161 



live in societies under \vebs of large size upon the fruit- 

 trees, where they devour the foliage of whole branches, 

 leaving them bare. They are two inches long, hairy, 

 bluish-gray, striped on the back with orange. The web 

 is double and of a brownish-white ; the metamorphosis 

 is perfected in three weeks, and the bluish-gray pupa is 

 transformed into a gay butterfly. 



The Golden Tall Moth (bombyx chrysorrhrea) is 

 altogether white, lays its eggs in July on twigs and 

 leaves, covering them with a brown wool, taken from its 

 own body. The caterpillars, which make their appear- 

 ance in late autumn, pass the winter in webs ; at this time . 

 they can easily be discovered and destroyed. They are 

 hairy, gray and brown, with white spots and a reddish- 

 brown stripe along the back. They are very injurious 

 to hedges, willows, elms, etc. The brown pupa under- 

 goes its tiunsformation in a white cocoon. 



The Gipsey Moth (bombyx dispar). Males dull yel- 

 low-brown, marked with brown zigzag lines ; females 

 larger, vellowish-white, and similarly striped. The cat- 

 erpillars, black, bristly, with a yellow head and body, 

 spotted with red and yellow, live in societies, feed on the 

 leaves of fruit and forest trees, on which they commit 

 great ravages. The metamorphosis takes place in July ; 

 the cocoon or web is large, reddish- white, and placed in 

 crevices in the bark, and after a period of two or three 

 weeks the red-brown, yellow-haired pupa comes forth to 

 begin a new existence as a winged insect. 



The Fir Tree Spinner (bombyx pini), plate 24, fig. 

 5, is drab-colored, with brown lines on the upper wings, 

 lighter colored on the lower, so that it resembles a bit of 

 pine bark ; remains hidden in the crevices of the trunk 

 by day, flying round only at night. Its large, hairy 



