MOTHS AND BUTTERFLIES. 



457 



the trees during the winter. The perfect moth expands over four inches, and is of a 

 " rusty yellow color, slightly inclining to green, marked with pale lilac and white." 

 For culture in the open air, this promises better than any native species. 



The American silk-worm, Telea polyphemus, is, without doubt, our best native 

 silk-producing species, although very satisfactory results have not as yet been obtained, 

 either in rearing them or in reeling the silk. There is some reason to believe, how- 

 ever, that, by careful breeding and selecting, a race may be obtained after a series of 

 generations, which will possess the desirable qualities. Each female lays from two to 

 three hundred eggs, which are deposited on the under side of the leaves, and are about 

 one-sixteenth of an inch in diameter, slightly convex on the top and bottom, the con- 

 vex portions whitish, and the nearly cylindrical sides brown. These hatch in from ten 



FIG. 575. Philosamia cynthia, ailantlius silk-worm. 



to twelve days. The caterpillar feeds on the leaves of oak, elm, etc, and when full- 

 grown is over three inches in length, of a light-green color, with seven oblique yellow 

 lines on each side, and the tubercles on the segments orange with a silvery spot on 

 the middle. A few hairs arise from these tubercles. The last segment is bordered by 

 a purplish brown V-shaped mark. After the caterpillar has finished eating, it draws 

 together a few leaves within which it spins its whitish, oval cocoon, which often falls 

 to the ground, where the insect remains during the winter in the pupa state. 



The experiments of Mr. Trouvelot prove that this insect may be bred in the open 

 air or in captivity, and that the cocoons may be reeled, though this is rather difficult 

 because of the hard matter which holds them together. The moths, before emerging 

 from the cocoons, discharge a quantity of fluid matter which moistens and softens the 

 silk at the end from which they are to escape, so that they can more easily work their 



