THE LACKEY MOTH. 593 



insects into species is easy enough, their grouping into genera is 

 quite arbitrary, depending entirely on the classifier. Linnasus, 

 for example, divided all the butterflies into two genera, while the 

 modern classification admits some thirty genera. While, there- 

 fore, we may lay every stress on the species, we need not trouble 

 ourselves much about the genus. 



The two moths mentioned in this history are very different in 

 appearance, and the larvaa are still more unlike. They have, 

 however, this point of similarity, that they construct large dwell- 

 ings upon branches, spinning them of silk, and making them large 

 enough to contain a whole brood at once. The Lackey Moths 

 are so called on account of the bright colors of the caterpillars, 

 which are striped and decorated like modern footmen. Some 

 species, however, derive the name from a different source. 



When the mother insect lays her eggs, she deposits them on a 

 small branch or twig, disposing them in a ring that completely 

 encircles the twig, as a bracelet surrounds a lady's wrist. When 

 she has completed the circle, she covers the eggs with a kind of 

 varnish, which soon hardens, and forms a perfect defense from 

 the rain. The varnish is so hard, and binds the eggs so firmly 

 together, that, if the twig be carefully severed, the whole mass of 

 eggs can be slipped off entire. As this varnish produces the same 

 effect on eggs as lacquer does upon polished metal, preserving the 

 surface and defending it from moisture, the insect is called the 

 Lacquer, a word which has been corrupted into Lackey. 



In wet weather the Lackey Caterpillars prefer to remain in 

 their silken home, leaving it only for the purpose of feeding. 

 They never lose their way, because, like the larva3 of the little 

 ermine moth, which has been already described, they continually 

 spin a single silken thread as they go along, and are therefore pro- 

 vided with an infallible guide to the track. Before they change 

 to the pupal state they leave the nest. 



The larva of this species is a very prettily-marked creature, 

 the body being striped with blue, and yellow, and white. The 

 moth itself is yellow, with a slight tinge of orange, and across 

 the upper pair of wings runs a dark band edged on either side 

 by a jjaler streak. As there is another allied species, which 

 lives on various sea-side plants, the present insect ought more 

 properly to be called the Tree Lackey. The moth seems to be 

 rather periodical and local ; for, although specimens are found 

 annually in most years, they swarm to such an extent in certain 



P P 



