THE YOUXG NATURALIST. 



77 



which varies considerably in texture, some 

 species spinning a mere loose web, and 

 others a firm hard cocoon. 



The Endromid.e contain but one Euro- 

 pean species. EnJromis Versicolora the 

 Kentish Glory. By Mr. Doubleday it is 

 included in the last family. It is a large 

 rather showy day-flying insect, with a 

 smooth larva, which spins a slight cocoon. 



The Saturnidj; contain but one British 

 species. 5. pavonia, the Emperor Moth, one 

 of our most beautiful insects. Several other 

 species occur on the continent. The Em- 

 peror Moth has an eyed spot on each wing, 

 the male being smaller, but more beautiully 

 coloured. The antenna; of both sexes are 

 pectinated. The larva is very beautiful, 

 with tufts of short hairs arranged in rows 

 round the body. The pupa is enclosed in a 

 firm pear-shaped cocoon, open at the 

 smaller end, but with a cap inside to pre- 

 vent anything obtaining entrance. This is 

 also included with the Dombycina, by 

 Mr. Doubleday. 



The Drepanulid.e, called by Mr. Stainton 

 PLATYPTBRIGID.E, are placed by Mr. Double- 

 day, in a separate group, between the 

 Geometr.€. and the next family. The 

 wings of the imagines are often hooked at 

 the tip, hence some of them are called 

 " hook tips." There are only six species 

 found in Britain, and but one more on the 

 Continent. The larvae are not hairy, and 

 are without prolegs on the anal segments. 

 The pupa is in a rather tough cocoon. 



The NoTODONTiD.E are also placed by 

 Mr. Doubleday as a separate group, follow- 

 ing the last named, and preceding the 

 Nocture. He divides them into three 

 families. They are of very variable form 

 in all their stages. Most of the imagines, 

 when in repose, sit with their wings in roof 

 form, and many of them have a little tuft of 

 scales, projecting over the inner margin, 

 which appears like a little prominence above 

 the outline of the wing. Hence the name 



' ' Prominents ' ' The lan-ae of many of them 

 are of very curious forms. The " Puss 

 Moth" and "Kittens" {Cerura), have no 

 anal claspers, but this segment is lengthened 

 into two tails, from which a flesh-coloured 

 filament is projected when they are alarmed. 

 The "Lobster" {S.fagi), has the first pair 

 of prolegs enormously lengthened like the 

 nippers of a lobster. The last species in 

 in the arrangements of Messrs. Doubleday 

 and Stainton {D.c^ruleoccphala) is considered 

 by Dr. Staudinger to be a Noctua. 



The CvM.\TorHORiD.K of Dr. Staudinger's 

 list are placed first among the Nocxu.i:, by 

 both the other authors to whom we refer, 

 Mr. Stainton calling them NocTUo-boMBV- 

 CID.E, and Mr. Doubleday Bombvciforme. 

 The imagines are of moderate size, often 

 with transverse lines, and in most of the 

 species grey or greenish in colour. The 

 larva are rather slender and smooth, often 

 with little prominences on the back. Some 

 of them raise the anal segments in repose 

 as do many of the last family, others feed 

 between leaves united by silk. 



It will be observed that there are many 

 differences of opinion, among authorities, 

 respecting the members of this group. Our 

 young readers must study for themselves, 

 and arrive at their own conclusions. 



THE TORTRICINiE. 



The ToRTRiciN^ is perhaps the most 

 natural group among all the Lepidoptera, 

 for well-marked characteristics both in larva 

 and imago run through the whole. Almost 

 every collector can recognize a Tortrix at 

 sight, but when he has said it is a Tortrix 

 he has generally exhausted his knowledge 

 on the subject. A great number of the 

 species are common, many of them abundant, 

 and any collector setting to work in earnest 

 now might make sure of having a creditable 

 collection by next year at this time. There 

 are several works upon or containing this 

 group, though perhaps not illustrated to the 



