182 DORATIFERA. VULNERANS. 
of the wings not exceeding an inch and two lines. 
The anterior wings are ferruginous, with a silvery 
margin, the surface with numerous transverse lines 
formed of tufts of a chesnut colour, changeable in 
different lights. The posterior wings are dull white ; 
thorax and abdomen light brown. 
The latva (Plate XXII. fig. 3) is of very singular 
aspect, broad, thick, and massive, with four reddish 
protuberances on the anterior part of the body, and 
four behind. These knobs it has the power of open- 
ing at pleasure, and darting out eight rays or bunches 
of little stings of a yellow colour. The general hue 
of the body is grey, with numerous black spots and 
streaks, the back with a large pale-coloured patch, 
marked with several curved black figures. There are 
likewise two reddish tufts on the head, and two 
others at the hinder extremity. It feeds on the leaves 
of the stringy bark tree of the colonists ; changes to 
a pupa in the beginning of February, fastening itself 
to the stem of a leaf, and spinning a close case 
in the form of an egg, which it agglutinates by the 
moisture of its mouth into a hard crust of a brown 
colour, appearing like a kind of fruit hanging on 
the tree (fig. 4). It remains in this state twenty-two 
days, and is on the wing in the same month. 
The wound inflicted by the little fascicles of 
stings is described by Lewin as very painful and 
venomous, and it darts them forth whenever it is 
alarmed by the motion of ^ny thing approaching. 
They must prove a very powerful defence against 
birds and many other enemies. It is to be regretted 
