MOTHS AND TIIEIR CATERPILLARS. 199 



Early in the spring the common Caterpillar of 

 the Tiger-moth will he found abundantly. It is 

 well known to village children as the " Woolly 

 Bear," and is remarkably handsome. These Cater- 

 pillars will form their cocoons in June, and the 

 Moths will appear in July. This Moth (Arctia 

 Caja) is one of the handsomest of our native insects. 

 The upper-wings are of a soft pale cream colour, 

 beautifully varied with large solid patches of warm 

 brown. The form of these patches varies consider- 

 ably, sometimes being so large and close as to make 

 nearly the whole wing brown, and arc at other times 

 so scanty as to leave the cream-coloured ground 

 almost pure. These extreme varieties are, however, 

 very rare, and it is well worth rearing a number of 

 the Caterpillars in order, if possible, to obtain them. 

 The under-wings and body are of the most vivid 

 scarlet, with fine markings of purple black. 



These brilliant colours, combined with the size 

 of the Moth, sometimes three inches across the 

 expanded wings, render it, though one of the 

 commonest, at the same time one of the most re- 

 markable of our native Moths; and it is particularly 

 adapted for the Vivarium, as it appears to have but 

 little desire to fly, beyond seeking its mate, and in 

 the day it remains perfectly quiescent, with the 



