174 CABBAGE. LEAVES — CABBAGE MOTH. 



This moth pertains to the genus Cerostoma of LatreiUe and the 

 British entomologists, a genus belonging to the family Tineid^, and 

 intimately related to that to which the Palmer worm pertains — both 

 genera h'aving the feelers with a tuft of scales projecting forward 

 like a beak, from the middle of which beak the slender terminal 

 joint stands upwards like a little horn. The larvae of the two 

 genera are also identical in their appearance and habits. The 

 genus Cerostoma is described as differing from that of Chcetochilus 

 in having the wings narrower and rounded at their ends, differ- 

 ences which are so slight as to be scarcely discernable on a com- 

 parison of this species with the moth of the Palmer worm. The 

 antennae, moreover, are directed forward instead of being turned 

 backwards- and lying upon the back; but this is a character which 

 is liable to be deceptive except when observed in the living speci- 

 ipen. The light color of the inner margin of the wings, however, 

 and the lace-like cocoon of the pupa, leave no doubt that it is the 

 genus Cerostoma to which our insect must be referred. Stephens 

 (Illustrations, Haustellata, vol. iv. p. 341) says the spiral tongue 

 iti this genus is "shortish," whilst Westwood (Humphrey's British 

 Moths, vol. ii. p. 245) gives it as "long and slender." The lat- 

 ter is certainly its character in our insect, where it is about equal 

 to the antennae in length. Our species is closely allied to the C. 

 porrecfella, Lin., the worm of which Mr. Westwood found feed- 

 ing upon buds of the White Rocket, a plant of the same family 

 with the cabbage, and which forms an open-net work cocoon the 

 same as our species. 



The WORM of the Cabbage moth ia nearly cylindrical in its form, rather thickest in 

 the middle, and slightly tapering towards each end. It is over a quarter of an inch 

 long, measuring when full grown 0.35, and is the thickness of a coarse knitting 

 needle. It Is variable in its color, but is most commonly pale green, of the same hue 

 as the cabbage leaf. Some are of a deeper tinge and others paler, varying to green- 

 ish yellow or pale yellow. Often the hind part of the body is paler than the fore 

 part. Frequently the head or the apical segment or both are pale yellow, the rest 

 of the body being of the usual green hue. Individuals may sometimes be met with 

 having the head dusky or black with dusky clouds. The neck is fre- 

 quently tinged with red. Commonly a stripe along the middle of the 

 back is more or less distinct, of a deeper green color, or blackish in 

 places; and on each side of the back a similar stripe may be dis- 

 cerned, whilst low down on each side a whitish stripe is sometimes 

 apparent. "With a magnifying glass the body is perceived to be 

 clothed with several short black hairs which proceed from minute 



