MOTHS AND THEIR CATERPILLARS. 189 



mon. As some of the species are disputed as Bri- 

 tish, it would he interesting to settle the matter hy 

 their capture, or rearing them from the Caterpillar 

 state. 



The Caterpillar in Plate V. No. 3 is that of the 

 rare Moth Stauropus Fagi. It is popularly called 

 the "Lobster," and is more unusual in form and 

 general appearance than even the one last described. 

 The pectoral legs, instead of being of the usual short 

 proportion, terminating, after two very short joints, 

 in a horny point, as in those of the Puss-moth 

 Caterpillar just referred to, are lengthened in a most 

 extraordinary manner, so as to exceed in length even 

 those of the perfect insect — a peculiarity that does 

 not exist in any other British Caterpillar. The 

 form of these curiously angulated legs, which in 

 some positions suggest the idea of a crossed palisade 

 or chevaux-de-frise, has no doubt given rise to the 

 generic name of Stauropus, from the Greek words 

 stauros (crravpos), a palisaded fence, and pous (7rou?), 

 a foot. 



The popular name of "Lobster" is, however, 

 more graphically descriptive, as the skin, or rather 

 shell, of the Caterpillar has a shining surface, and 

 varies from a kind of fawn colour to a tone ap- 

 proaching the rich scarlet of a boiled lobster. The 



