ATTACKING THE LEAVES. 63 



or dirty white, those of the female dusky brown ; the body 

 is light brown, the thorax of a darker shade. When ex- 

 panded, the wings measure from an inch to an inch and a 

 quarter across. 



The female deposits her eggs in a cluster, on the under side 

 of a leaf, during the month of July, where they shortly hatch 

 into tiny caterpillars, which at first consume only the sub- 

 stance of the under side of the leaf, leaving the upper surface 

 unbroken, but as thev increase in size they eat the entire leaf. 

 When not eating, they remain close together, sometimes com- 

 pletely covering the branch they rest upon. Having come 

 to maturity, which occurs during August or early in Septem- 

 ber, the larva a})pears as represented in Fig. 57. The head 



Fig. 50. Fm. 57. 



is coral-red, and there is a hump on the back on the fourth 

 ring or segment of the same color ; the body is traced length- 

 wise by slender black, yellow, and white lines, and has two 

 rows of black prickles along the back, and other shorter ones 

 upon the sides, from each of w^hich there arises a fine hair. 

 The hinder segments taper a little, and are always elevated, 

 as shown in the figure, when the insect is not crawling. It 

 measures, when full grown, about an inch and a quarter long. 

 These caterpillars entirely consume the leaves of the branch 

 on which they are placed, and when these are insufficient the 

 adjoining branches are laid under tribute. When handled, 

 they discharge a transparent fluid having a strong acid smell, 

 which doubtless serves as a defence against enemies, especially 

 birds, since their habit of feeding openly in large flocks ren- 

 ders them particularly liable to attack from these ever-active 

 foes. 



