MOTHS AND MOTH-CATCHERS. 383 



from the difficulty of detecting the little objects, like pins' heads, upon 

 the leaves and flowers where they are laid. Eggs are usually stuck 

 fast to the under side of the more tender leaves of the plant, though 

 this rule is not invariable, either as to position or choice of leaf. Usu- 

 ally the outer leaves are chosen, and by turning them up with care and 

 running the eye over them, and especially down the midrib, the little 

 whitish or greenish egg may be seen. It requires good eyes and much 

 patience, but I have found the eggs of about twenty species in this 

 way : those of the "bee -hawk" on honeysuckle, of the "Cecropia" 

 on apple and lilac bushes, the "white-lined-hawk" on purslane, etc. 

 The " lackey-moths " ( Clisiocampa) and the " deer-moths " (Hemi- 

 leuca) lay their eggs in circular patches around the smaller branches of 

 fruit and oak trees. The eggs are found sometimes to have been stung 

 by a little clear-winged fly, and out of these, instead of the expected 

 caterpillar, only the tiny but full-grown parasite escapes. 



The rearing of larvos or caterpillars may be conducted on a variety 

 of plans. I have found an upright box, with glass in front, and per- 

 forated zinc for the sides, or fine wire netting and a solid door at back, 

 by which the fresh food is introduced, very serviceable. A drawer at 

 bottom is filled with fine washed sand, over which is placed a layer of 

 garden-mold, and then a covering of moss. The food is placed in 

 short water-bottles, to keep it fresh, and the caterpillars are placed on 

 these. But, when a boy, I reared many species in an empty butter- 

 tub, covered by common gauze. Almost all caterpillars may be han- 

 dled with impunity. Some of them are ferocious-looking enough to 

 inspire a fear of their biting powers, but they are unable to hurt us in 

 this way. The caterpillars of the " hawk-moths " have a formidable- 

 looking horn on the last segment or ring of the body. I have noticed 

 that inexperienced persons often mistake the position of this horn ; 

 they regard it as being in front, whereas it is attached to the tail-end 

 of the larva. There is nothing " poisonous " about any of these cater- 

 pillars, but two kinds cause a painful irritation to the skin when 

 touched with the hand, by means of the fine hairs which are thus 

 forced into the pores, and, the tips breaking off, cause fever and pain 

 as from a bee-sting. These two are the odd-looking caterpillar of 

 the "brown hag-moth" [Empretia stimulea), and the delicate-green 

 caterpillar, with pink and white stripe on the side, of the " corn em- 

 peror" (Hyperchivia so). Other hairy caterpillars may also produce 

 more or less discomfort when handled, but the frightful stories which 

 circulate in the newspapers from time to time, of people being stung to 

 death by the caterpillars they chanced upon, are all false. Caterpil- 

 lars can not sting, for the simple reason that they have nothing to sting 

 with, and when an injury of this kind has been really inflicted it will be 

 found to have been occasioned by something other than a caterpillar. 



Hunting for caterpillars is attended usually by more success than 

 the seeking for eggs of moths. One can readily detect the presence of 



