THE ZEBRA CATERPILLAR. 451 



as a British species, under the name of Hadena arnica, or 

 the barred arches-moth. The wings of this moth expand 

 an inch and three quarters, or more, and are proportionally 

 broader than those of the cut-worm moths. The general 

 color of the fore wings, as already stated, is deep Spanish- 

 brown, variegated with gray. The small ordinary oval 

 spot is marked by a gray border. The kidney-spot is large, 

 gray, and very conspicuous. There is a broad wavy band 

 of a pearl-gray or blue-gray color near the outer hind mar- 

 gin, and a narrow wavy band between the oval spot and 

 shoulder. The hind wings are pale ash-colored, shaded 

 behind with brown, having a pale border, and a distinct 

 central blackish spot beneath. The head and thorax are 

 dark brown ; the collar and tips of the shoulder-covers are 

 edged with rust-red ; and the hind body is ash-colored or 

 pale brown, with a row of four rust-red tufts upon it. This 

 common moth belongs to the same group or family as the 

 following species, though differing therefrom in its caterpillar 

 state. 



There is another naked caterpillar (Fig. 22 C) which is 

 often found to be injurious 



Fig. 223 



to cabbages, cauliflowers, 



spinach, beets, and other 

 garden vegetables with suc- 

 culent leaves. It does not conceal itself in the ground, but 

 lives exposed on the leaves of the plants which it devours. 

 When disturbed, it coils its body spirally. It is of a light 

 yellow color, with three broad, longitudinal, black stripes, 

 one on each side and the third on the top of the back ; and 

 the head, belly, and feet are tawny. The lateral black 

 stripe is worthy of attentive examination. It consists of 

 numerous transverse black marks somewhat like Runic let- 

 ters, on a pure white ground ; but the white ground, when 

 seen without a glass, seems blue, by contrast with the black 

 characters. Dr. Melsheimer calls this the zebra caterpillar, 

 on account of its stripes. It comes to its mil size here in 



