I94 Text Caterpillars. 



Especially to be noticed are the Apple-tree Tent Caterpillar 

 (C. Americana, Harris) and the Forest Tent Caterpillar 



r C.sylvatica, Harris). 



21, the Brown-Taj l Moth [Porthesia chrysorrhaea, Linn.). 



According to Stainton, the Brown-Tail Moth is local, and 

 not to be found everywhere. Where it does occur, however, 

 it is often very abundant. It is recorded from Lytham, 

 Epping, Teignmouth, Lewes, Lymington, Tenterden, Rams- 

 gate, Stowmarket, Black Park, Chesham, Deal, Dorking, 

 Newhaven, Bisterne, Bristol, Norwich, Canterbury, and 

 many other places. It has been very abundant this year in 

 Kent, and has done quite as much, if not more, harm in the 

 orchards than the Lackey Moth. It is always more or less 

 abundant in various parts of the country. The Brown-Tail 

 belongs to the family Ltftaridce, in which the male antennae 

 are pectinated, and the abdomen of the female thickened 

 by a dense tuft of hairs at the apex. Larvae and pupae are 

 both rather hairy ; the former have sixteen legs, and may 

 have tufts of hairs and two fleshy processes on the nth and 

 1 2th segments. The Brown-Tail moth appears towards 

 the end of July and in August. The female has pure white 

 fore wings, with a faint black spot, the hind wings being- 

 pure white. The male has similar fore and hind wings, 

 white head, thorax, and abdomen, the apex, of the latter 

 having a dark golden brown tuft. In length the wing expanse 

 varies between an inch and a-quarter and an inch and three- 

 quarters. It is a night flyer, resting during the day on walls, 

 Leaves, lamps, etc., and is then very sluggish, falling down as 

 if dead when its resting-place is shaken. 



The female lays her eggs on the under surface of the leaves 

 of the oak, elm, black and white thorn, apple, plum, and 

 .sometimes pear. Each long patch of eggs is covered over by 

 hair from the female's tail and the eggs completely hidden ; 

 the ova are round, of a dull golden hue, and as many as two 

 hundred and fifty may be counted in each batch. 



The larvae hatch out from the beginning of August, and 

 live through the winter. At first they are very small, of a 



