344 
ON THE GENUS 0KGYIA» 
In describing the larvae of the latter Stephens says:—Caterpillar black, spotted 
with red^ with four pair of yellowish or luteous dorsal tufts, two composed of 
capitate hairs on the neck, one on each side of the hody^ and one on the tail/* 
Of eighteen larvae of this species which I have examined this season, not one 
possessed the tufts of capitate hairs on the sides of the body, nor were they 
spotted with red, but striped longitudinally with yellow or orange. Indeed so 
well does his description agree with the larva of 0. antiqua (one of which is 
now before me), that I am convinced he has mistaken the one for the other. 
Rennie, in his conspectus, says of this insect“ Caterpillar gregarious, with 
eight white tufts on the back ; with two black ones on the neck, and one on the 
tail.” He is correct in the number of capitate tufts ; those on the back are not, 
however, as he asserts, white, but of a tawny or light chesnut colour, and only 
^our in number. Nor is the caterpillar gregarious; for although, like those of 
O. antiqua^ the eggs are laid by the female on the cocoon, yet the young larvse 
disperse soon after being hatched. 
I have found them at almost every stage of their growth, but never more than 
one at a time; even when the eggs are deposited on a solitary thorn-bush the 
.caterpillars wander to the full extent of the branches, and are never found 
feeding in company like those of Vanessa lo^ V. urticce^ Eriogaster lanestris, 
EygcEra hucephala^ &c. Rennie, in describing Orgyia antiqua^ says “ Cater¬ 
pillar dusky, spotted with red, with four white tufts on the back.” No mention 
is made of the two tufts of capitate hairs on the neck, the one on the tail, and 
two on the sides, all of which are found in 0. antiqua. 
Among such a medley of imperfect and incorrect descriptions, is it surprising 
that the young student should become bewildered ? I confess that Stephens is 
generally to be relied on; but how he could possibly stray as he has done in 
this instance lam at a loss to conceive; for it appears, from his own statement, 
that he has been in possession of the larva of O, gonostigma^ and by means of 
the female it produced he procured males from Combe-Wood. 
In company with a friend I took, this season, eighteen larvae, and am now 
in possession of several perfect specimens of the imago, both male and female, 
of this rare insect; others I expect from the pupa daily. I have also been 
fortunate enough to secure above six hundred eggs from one female ; these were 
laid on the cocoon, and covered with the down from her own body. 
The female commences laying her eggs immediately on the male leaving her; 
but should no male visit her she will retain her eggs ten days or a fortnight. I 
have also observed, that of those which arrive at the perfect state, two-thirds 
are females; and as these are without wings, this is no doubt a provision of 
Nature to enable the males the more easily to find mates, and prevent the 
species from becoming extinct.' 
Doncaster^ July 17, 1837. 
