THE VAPOURER 163 



a rich chestnut-brown, with ochre-yellow 

 bands and white spots. The female is larger 

 and ochre-yellow throughout. The caterpillar 

 is of large size, clothed with light-brown 

 hairs, and banded with velvety black. It 

 feeds on various plants, including heather, 

 and forms an egg-shaped cocoon. I once 

 observed that a caterpillar of this moth, 

 which had been found feeding on cranberry 

 leaves, was most unwilling to feed on heather, 

 although the latter is the more natural food- 

 plant. An insect can apparently acquire a 

 taste as readily as the more noble animal, 

 man. 



The Vapourer (Orgyia antiqua), Plate 

 XVIII., Fig. 3, is an odd little moth. It is not 

 showy. The male is chestnut-brown, with 

 light spots and dark markings; the female 

 is wingless, and resembles nothing so much 

 as a fat spider. The caterpillar eats the 

 leaves of many plants, including the 

 poisonous laurel. This is one of those 

 moths which are gifted with marvellous 

 powers of communication. If a female 

 Vapourer is placed outside, in a box covered 

 with gauze, and if there are any males within 



