]92 
PUSS-MOTH. 
following, so tMs catcrpilUxr then turns to be a 
painted butterfly*.” (PI. xti. fig. 2.) The two- 
forked tail alluded to, which is peculiar to the Puss 
caterpillar and two or three others, is thus described 
by Kirby and Spence : — “ This hom-like appendage 
is composed of two distinct cylindrical diverging 
branches, each about four lines long, not imited at 
the base. Each of these is hoUow', and includes a 
smaller cylindiical piece, which can be protruded at 
pleasure, and withdrawn again, as a pencil within 
its case ; or, rather, as the horns of a snaU. Tlie 
two outer horns are tolerably firm, moveable at 
their base, and beset with black spines ; the interior 
tentacula are fleshy, moveable in every direction, 
and in full-growm larvae of a rose-colour. Tlie 
animal seldom protrudes them, unless in some way 
distm-bed ; and frequently it approximates the outer 
cases so closely that they resemble a single horn. 
It appears to use these inner horns, when protruded, 
as a kind of whip to drive away the flies, especially 
the Ichneumons, that alight upon its body. When 
touched in any place, it will unsheath one of them, 
and sometimes both, and with them strike the place 
w'here it is incoramodedt.” Tlie cocoon constructed 
by this caterpillar is remarkable for its strengtli and 
solidity, being composed of particles of w'ood united 
by a very adhesive kind of gum. To enable the 
moth to pierce the w'alls of this indurated case, it 
is said to be furnished with a bag of acid, the con- 
* Walton's Angler, cliap, v. 
+ Introd. to Entom. iiu page 150, 
