228 



THE CANADIAN EXTOMOLOGIST. 



disperse, each seeking a location for itself. They moult five times.. 

 devouring their cast off spinous skins. After being in the larval state 

 about eight weeks, they arrive at maturity, and are then about two inches 

 and a half loni 



ig- 



Their food plants are numerous. They have been found on Black 

 Locust, Indian Corn, AMllows, Sassafras, Wild Cherry, Elm, Hop-vine, 

 Balsam, Balm of Gilead, Dogwood, Choke Cherry, Currant, Cotton and 

 Clover. I, myself, this year found it on the English Filbert, and raised 

 it to maturity on that plant. I ha\'e, however, more commonly found it 

 on the Choke Cherry. The larva, when full grown, crawls'to the ground^ 

 where, amid the loose leaves and rubbish, it forms a rough covering, within 

 which it makes a slight cocoon of tough, gummy, brown silk. In this- 

 retreat a change is soon effected to the pupal or chrysalis state, and having 

 remained therein during the winter and spring months, the moth emerges 

 in the perfect winged state about June. The moths are especially 

 remarkable for the difference between the sexes, both in size and colour. 



The male, fig. 29, which is much the smallest, is of a deep Indian or 

 maize yellow ; on the fore wings are two oblique, wavy lines, near the hind 



Fig, 20. margin, and a zigzag line 



near the base. There is- 

 also a large, dark, reddish, 

 central reniform spot or 

 blotch. The hind wings 

 are broadly shaded with 

 purple, next to the body ;. 

 on the hinder margin is a 

 purplish curved band, and 

 within this again is a 

 smaller one of a dark 

 purple or violet colour. In the centre of this last band and the middle of 

 the wing is a large, round, blue spot, with a whitish centre and a broad 

 border almost black; the under side of the wings is of the same deep 

 yellow ; the fore wings showing the same dark occellated spot, as on the 

 other side, antl having the inner margin broadly shaded with purple. The 

 hinder wings are more uniform in color, with a transverse purple line and 

 a very small, distinct white spot representing the centre of the large spot 

 on the upper side. 



The body is also deej) yellow. 



