THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. I4I 



of the earth. These moths which come, as it were, out 

 of the ground are not often brilHant in color, but their 

 wings are a beautiful mixture of black, gray, and white. 

 Now, Frank, we will see what we can learn about your 

 green moth." 



Mr. Benedict had arranged it very handsomely in a 

 box, and he now held it so that all the boys could ex- 

 amine it. 



" It is called the Attacus Luna," he continued, " and is, 

 I think, the most beautiful of all our moths. It is not as 

 brilliant, nor quite so large as some others, but the ex- 

 quisite delicacy of its wings both in texture and tint 

 surpasses that of any other variety that flies here. The 

 wings expand about five inches. They are of a pale, deli- 

 cate green color. Along the front edge of the fore wings 

 is a broad border of purple, and the hind wings are tipped 

 with the same color all round. In the centre of each wing 

 is a transparent eye-like spot, encircled by a ring of black 

 and yellow on the upper side of the wing, and white be- 

 neath. Each hind wing has a tail almost two inches in 

 length. The body of the Luna moth is very large and 

 thickly covered with white down. The antennae are yellow 

 and beautifully feathered, and the legs are purple like the 

 border. The worm of this moth . lives on Walnut-trees. 

 It is a large, ugly-looking fellow, with a very thick body 

 several inches long. It forms its cocoon by tying several 



