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Home Nature-Study Course. 



The eggs. — These are white and are laid a few in a row on the leaf 

 of a food ])lant. They hatch in about a fortnight after being laid. 



The caterpaiay. — This resembles very much the caterpillar of the 

 polvphenius. It is green when it hatches, but the head is not entirely 

 brown like that of the polyphemus. There is no noticeable change after 

 the molts, except that after the fourth molt, a yellow broken line may be 

 seen running along each side of the body showing on the hind half of 

 each segment. The tubercles vary from red to rose color and yellow, 

 and the abdominal tubercles are sometimes blue. This caterpillar varies 

 much in markings and colorings. It is usually distinguished from the 



polyphemus because 

 it lacks the oblique 

 yellow lines on the 

 abdominal segments, 

 and has instead a line 

 along each side of the 

 body : but we have 

 had caterpillars that 

 showed this lateral 

 line so set on e:!ge 

 along the segments, 

 that we were very 

 much surprised when 

 luna instead of poly- 

 phemus moths issued 

 from the cocoons. 



The cocoon. — The 

 caterpillar spins i t s 



Luna caterpillar fully grown. 



cocoon by drawing 



two leaves closely together around it. The cocoon resembles that of the 

 polyphemus very much, and like it, it usually falls to the ground with the 

 leaves. However, luna caterpillars have been found on the ground under 

 the tree weaving their cocoons among the fallen leaves. 



The pupa. — This resembles very much that of polyphemus. 



The moth. — The delicate, exquisite green of the luna's wings is set 

 of¥ by the rose-purple, velvet border of the front wings, and the white 

 fur on the body and inner edge of the hind wings. Little wonder that 

 it has been called the " Empress of the night." The long swallow tail of 

 the hind wings gives the moth a most graceful shape, at the same time 

 probably afifords it protection from observation. During the day time the 

 moth hangs wings down beneath the green leaves, and these long projec- 

 tions of the hind wings folded together resemble a petiole, making the 

 insect look very much like a large leaf. 



