468 NATURAL HISTORY OF ARTHROPODS. 



nearly round orange-yellow spots on each side, with five black bands between, and 

 intermediate white spots below. The caterpillar, Fig. 585, is dark green, a little 

 paler along the back, with whitish dots. There are seven oblique white stripes on 

 each side, bordered above with dark brown. The caudal horn is of a bluish color, 

 whitish on the sides, and studded with black thorns, or sometimes the whole horn is 

 black. The whole upper surface is granulated, and the breathing pores (stigmatae), 

 along the sides, are edged with blue, with a yellow point above and below. When 

 mature it descends into the ground, and forms an imperfect cocoon-like cell of earth 

 in which it changes to a dark reddish-brown pupa, with a curved tongue-case. This 

 species feeds on the leaves of tomato and tobacco, causing a great amount of damage 



when abundant. 



The blind-eyed sphinx (Paonias 

 exccecatus) is distributed throughout 

 the Atlantic states from Canada south- 

 ward. The wings expand from three 

 and a quarter to three and a half 

 inches. The body is fawn colored, 

 with a chestnut stripe on the middle 

 of the thorax, and a dark line along 



Paomas e^catus. the abdomen. The fore wings are 



fawn colored, clouded and striped 



with brown. The hind wings are rose colored in the middle, with a brownish patch 

 on the apex, and a black spot with a pale-blue centre near the anal angle. The 

 mature caterpillar is about two inches and a half long, with an apple-green body, 

 paler on the back, but deeper in color along the sides; and the skin is roughened 

 with numerous white-tipped granulations. There are seven oblique stripes on each 

 side, of a pale-yellow color, the last one of a brighter yellow than the others, and 

 extending to the base of the caudal horn, which is of a bluish-green color. These 

 caterpillars feed on the leaves of apple, plum, wild cherry, elm, etc. ; and, when mature, 

 they leave the trees and bury themselves in the ground where they transform in earth- 

 cases, to brown-colored pupa?, in which state they pass the winter. They are so sub- 

 ject to the attacks of parasitic Hymenoptera that they are seldom abundant. 



The death's head moth (Acherontia atropos), which is widely spread over Africa, 

 Asia, Central and southern Europe, is one of the largest species of this family, 

 expanding from four to five inches, or even more. The fore wings are blackish brown, 

 with indistinct tawny markings and wavy transverse lines of black, and a conspicuous 

 white spot near the middle. The hind wings are yellow with a narrow black band 

 across the middle, and a wider one near the outer margin. The thorax is blackish 

 brown, having a pale-yellowish mark on the middle which resembles a human skull, 

 from which it has received its common name. The abdomen is yellow, banded with 

 black; and it also has a broad bluish-black central stripe. The caterpillars when 

 mature are from five to six inches long, of a bright lemon-yellow color, with seven 

 oblique violet stripes on each side, and a row of triangular blue spots along the back. 

 The whole surface is granulated, and sprinkled with black. The caudal horn is very 

 peculiar and characteristic; for it first inclines backward, and then turns up and curves 

 forward. They feed on the leaves of potato, tomato, and a variety of other plants. 

 When they have finished feeding they burrow into the ground, and form oval cocoons 

 in which they transform into pupas. The moth, when frightened, makes a peculiar 



