THE GOLD-TAIL 57 



PLATE XXX 



THE GOLD-TAIL (I and 2) 

 Of course you know this pretty insect very well 

 indeed by sight, for it is one of the commonest 

 of all our British moths. You cannot possibly 

 mistake it for any other, because of its snowy 

 white wings and the thick tuft of long yellow 

 hairs at the end of its body, from which it gets 

 its name of " Gold-tail." In the female moth this 

 tuft is very long and thick indeed, and she puts 

 it to a most curious purpose. For when she has 

 laid her eggs she strips off the golden down from 

 her tail and covers them carefully over with it, 

 leaving the tip of her body almost bare ! 



The caterpillars which hatch out of the eggs 

 are most beautiful little creatures. They are 

 black in colour, with three rows of tiny pimples, 

 so to speak, on each side, from every one of 

 which springs a little tuft of hairs. Those of 

 the upper row are jetty -black; those of the 

 middle row are white ; and those of the lower 

 one are bright scarlet. Besides this, there are 

 two scarlet stripes running down the back, and 

 just behind the head is a sort of hump, which is 

 bright scarlet also. 



You may find these handsome caterpillars on 

 the leaves of hawthorn, and also on those of 

 plum trees. When they are fully fed they spin 

 a silken web among the leaves, and turn to 

 chrysalids, out of which the moths hatch in July. 



