AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE AUDITORY 

 POWERS OF THE GIANT SILKWORM MOTHS 



(SATURNIID^) 



C. H. TURNER, 

 SUMNER HIGH SCHOOL, ST. Louis, Mo. 



This is a companion paper to the "Auditory Powers of the 

 Catocala Moths" by C. H. Turner and Ernst Schwarz. The 

 latter paper embodies the results of a field study and this 

 epitomizes a laboratory investigation. The habits of resting 

 quietly upon a tree trunk and of flying, when disturbed, to a 

 nearby tree renders the Catocalae excellent material for field 

 study; the fasting habits of the Saturniidae render them equally 

 good material for laboratory work. The paper on the Catocala 

 moths contains both a historical resume and a bibliography; 

 hence they are not needed in this contribution. 



In these experiments the following moths were used : 79 speci- 

 mens of Samia cecropia Linn., 104 of Philosamia cynthia Drury, 

 41 of Callosamia promethea Drury and 81 of Telea polyphemus 

 Cramer. These insects were confined beneath wire dish covers. 

 Each moth was numbered and one insect, in case of mated indi- 

 viduals one pair, was placed beneath a cover. 



These experiments were conducted in an out-of-doors insectary 

 the north wall of which is constructed almost entirely out of wire 

 netting. The other three wooden walls are window-less and 

 lined with shelves. These walls and the shelf-rests are supported 

 by the ground. The wooden floor rests on the ground, but is 

 not attached either to the walls or the shelf-rests; indeed, a space 

 of from one to three feet separates the floor from the walls. 

 Suspended from the ceiling by picture wire, there is a heavy 

 swinging shelf. The subjects of these experiments were kept 

 on these shelves. Since I always stood on the floor when sound- 

 ing any of the instruments, it was impossible for the vibrations 

 to reach the moths by any medium other than the air. 



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