150 The Ottawa Naturalist. [October 



large, heavy caterpillars are found hanging on the underside of 

 leaves and twigs, but on account of their green colour they are 

 rather difficult to detect. 



The Cecropia Emperor Moth, the subject of this article, is the 

 largest and one of the most beautiful insects found in North 

 America. When the wings have been spread this magnificent 

 moth measures from five to seven inches across. The figure* 

 given herewith, which has been reduced in size, shows the moth 

 which is doubtless known to many of our readers. The four 

 wings are of a rich brown and all are crossed with conspicuous 

 band*. The band on each front wing is dull red, more or 

 less edged within with white, while that on each hind wing 

 is a brighter red, almost crimson in some specimens, edged 

 distinctly inside with white. In the figure, which is from a 

 photograph, only the white portions, of course, of these transverse 

 bands show. The front wings are dusted with gray towards and 

 along the upper margin, and through that portion of each wing 

 beyond the transverse band. Near the centre of the wing, and 

 also towards the base, reddish patches are present in most speci- 

 mens. All the wings have, near the middle, a large nearly 

 kidney-shaped mark which is white shaded more or less with red, 

 and margined with black. The eye-like spot towards the tip of 

 each front wing is black with a bluish white crescent, and the 

 curved band near the base is white and black. The outer edges 

 of all the wings are paler, and there is present on each front wing 

 a wavy black line which on each hind wing is replaced by a double 

 band of the same colour. The upper side of the body is dull red, 



as are also the legs. Just behind the head there is a wide white 

 band. The abdomen in most specimens is reddish-brown, the cross 

 bands of white being very conspicuous Both sexes are similar 

 in appearance, the female only differing from the male in 

 the larger abdomen and much smaller antennas, or feelers 



It is often difficult to understand an author's reason for select- 

 ing the name by which a species is to be known, and much dis- 

 cussion among naturalists has taken place regarding Linnasus's 

 application of the name of ihe ancient city of Athens, to this moth. 

 The late Dr. Asa Fitch in his- third report on the Noxious and 



*From Fourth Annual Report of the Entomologist of the State Experi- 

 ment Station of the University of Minnesota, kindly loaned bv Prof F. L. 



7/ 



Washburn. 



