A curious fact about this moth is that it varies very much in colour and markings. Indeed, it would not be very difficult to make a small collection of “tiger” moths, no two of which should be quite alike. It appears on the wing in July, and you may find the caterpillar in May and June. PLATE XXIX THE CREAM SPOTTED TIGER (3 and 4) This is not nearly such a common insect as the “garden tiger.” But at the same time it is a good deal commoner than it seems, for it is such a sluggish creature that it very seldom flies, and the consequence is that one hardly ever sees it. It does not vary very much in colour, for the front wings are always black, with eight large creamy-white spots, and the hind-wings are orange-yellow, with six or seven small black spots, and a big black patch near the margin. The body is black in front, with a white blotch on each side, and orange-red behind with a row of black spots down the middle; so the insect is really a very handsome one indeed. The caterpillar of this moth is quite as woolly as that of the “garden tiger.” It is almost black in colour, with a red head and red legs, while the long hairs which cover its body are brown. It feeds upon chickweed in September, and again in April and May, and then spins a silken web, in which it turns to a chrysalis. The moth makes its appearance about the end of June. [Illustration: PLATE XXX 1. Gold-Tail 2. Gold-Tail Caterpillar 3. Pale Tussock 4. Pale Tussock Caterpillar] PLATE XXX THE GOLD-TAIL (1 and 2) Of course you know this pretty insect very well indeed by sight, for it is one of the commonest of all our British moths. You cannot possibly mistake it for any other, because of its snowy white wings and the thick tuft of long yellow hairs at the end of its body, from which it gets its name of “Gold-tail.” In the female moth this tuft is very long and thick indeed, and she puts it to a most curious purpose. For when she has laid her eggs she strips off the golden down from her tail and covers them carefully over with it, leaving the tip of her body almost bare! The caterpillars which hatch out of the eggs are most beautiful little creatures. They are black in colour, with three rows of tiny pimples, so to speak, on each side, from every one of which springs a little tuft of hairs. Those of the upper row are jetty-black; those of the middle row are white; and those of the lower one are bright scarlet. Besides this, there are two scarlet stripes running down the back, and just behind the head is a sort of hump, which is bright scarlet also. You may find these handsome caterpillars on the leaves of hawthorn, and also on those of plum trees. When they are fully fed they spin a silken web among the leaves, and turn to chrysalids, out of which the moths hatch in July. PLATE XXX THE PALE TUSSOCK (3 and 4)