PACKARD. — TRANSFORMATIONS OP SATURNIAN MOTHS. 577 



A pair of locomotive tubercles or claspers on the 2d abdominal 

 segment. — Mr. Joutel has called my attention to a pair of soft tubercles 

 or claspers on the 2il abdominal segment " which is thrust out and 

 seems to be used in walking as though it were a clasper." 



On examination of alcoholic specimens of Stages IV and V, I find on 

 the 2d abdominal segment a pair of small tubercles situated in a place 

 exactly corresponding to that of the mid-abdominal legs. Each one is 

 about one-eighth as large as a mid-abdominal leg ; about as high as broad 

 at the base, rounded, soft, and giving rise to 6 or 7 black setae of uneven 

 leno-th, but with no definite arrangement ; the tubercles are situated in 

 the path of the latero-ventral black line. On the 1st abdominal segment is 

 a minute soft low flattened tubercle situated in the same relative position, 

 but wanting in Stage IV. Are these processes to be compared with the 

 supernumerary legs of Megalopyge ? Are they the survivals of primi- 

 tive abdominal legs ? 



Pupa. — In shape and size closely similar to that of Eacles imperialis. 

 It agrees with tiie head-characters, i. e., the pupae, eyes, antennae, legs, 

 and wings, differing only in lacking the short stout spines which beset 

 the head and thorax of Eacles, the body being smoother and somewhat 

 polished ; the hinder edge of the free segments (abdominal) is smooth, 

 not spinose, as in Eacles. The chief difference consists in the shape of 

 the cremaster, which instead of being narrow, slender, and flattened, 

 is very stout, somewhat conical, much contracted at its base, and with 

 coarse pits, some of which are confluent, forming deep smooth furrows or 

 channels. The cremaster ends in two smooth cylindrical spines. 

 Length 40 mm. ; thickness of body 13 mm. 



Variation in the termiiial spines of the cremaster. — In one example 

 there is but a single median spine at the end of the cremaster, with no 

 vestige of its mate, the spine being central. 



When one comes to the moth one would hesitate at classifying Brah- 

 maea with the Ceratocampidae or the Saturnians ; its general appearance 

 forbids this. The wings of the Asiatic species are not falcate, and the 

 mode of coloration of the Brahmaeidae is marked by the extraordi- 

 nary development of undulating lines or bars, which remind one of the 

 geometrid Scotosia undulata. Evidently its style of protective coloration, 

 the green, black and gray tints and lines, enable it while resting on the 

 bark of a lichen-covered tree to elude observation. 



The venation {^ and 9), however, while presenting some important 

 Ceratocampid characters, indicates thatBrahmaea should be assigned to 

 an independent family. The first subcostal vein (IIIi) is very short, 

 VOL. xxxix. — 37 



