60 PHORODESMA SMARAGDARIA. 
priated the loose splinters and other small particles 
that were inside the box, and attached them to their 
bodies, giving themselves a most singular appearance 
when viewed under a lens, not unlike that of miniature 
porcupines. On putting them into a glass jar with 
some Artemisia they very soon changed their costume, 
and, on looking at them a few hours afterwards, I 
found them covered with fragments of their food- 
plant, as in their natural state. 
The larves during the whole of their existence keep 
the body in an arched position, except when feeding, 
when they stretch themselves out a little; but on the 
slightest alarm they again assume the curved position, 
with the anal claspers fixed to the plant, and the pro- 
legs drawn up close totheir bodies. They feed rather 
slowly, and for about three weeks after emerging from 
the egg appear lke httle balls of white wool, from 
being covered with the mealy portions of the Artemisia. 
As the larva increases in size, it increases the length 
of the morsels of the food-plant it attaches to its 
body, which on some adult larve are often three- 
quarters of an inch in length. When the pieces are 
first attached to the body they are, of course, green 
and fresh, but they soon become discolour ed, and in a 
few days are withered and brown; then the larvee, in 
their curved position, so exactly resemble the dead 
shoots of their food-plant that they are extremely 
difficult to detect, unless some movement betrays them, 
or one is familiar with their peculiar appearance. 
Thus it is evident that the object of the larvee in 
attaching these pieces to their bodies is for the purpose 
of protection against their numerous enemies. 
The larvee continue feeding till about the end of 
October, by which time they have attained the length 
of one-half to three-quarters of an inch, after which 
they fix themselves to the food-plant, and remain 
motionless during the winter months. With the first 
warm days of spring, towards the end of February, 
they begin moving ; and about the first week of March, 
