58 MOTHS 



PLATE XXX 



THE PALE TUSSOCK (3 and 4) 



You may sometimes see this handsome moth 

 resting on a fence in May, and "drying" its 

 wings after coming out from the chrysalis. The 

 female is not quite like the male, for she is 

 generally a good deal larger, with a very much 

 stouter body, and instead of having a dark brown 

 stripe across the middle of her wings, as he has, 

 she has two wavy lines, one rather before the 

 middle, and the other rather beyond it. 



The caterpillar of this moth is generally known 

 as the "hop dog"; but I cannot tell you the 

 reason why, for it feeds a great deal more often 

 on the leaves of oak, lime, and hazel than it does 

 on those of the hop. It is one of the loveliest 

 of all our British caterpillars— very hairy, and 

 of the most delicate pale green colour, with three 

 bands of deep velvety black round its body. On 

 its back are four brush-like tufts of long yellow 

 hairs, pointing forwards, and on its tail is another 

 still longer tuft of the same colour, which points 

 backwards. When it is fully grown it spins a 

 very slight silken web among the leaves, and 

 turns to a hairy chrysalis. You may find it 

 feeding in July and August. 



