288 INSECTS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



orange-red, with two large irregular yellow patches before, and a 

 row of wedge-shaped olive-colored spots between the veins be- 

 hind ; the head is orange-red ; the thorax is yellow, with the edge 

 of the collar, the shoulder-covers, and an angular spot on the top 

 orange-red ; the upper side of the abdomen, and the legs are also 

 orange-red. Unlike the other moths of the same family, the feel- 

 ers in this are distinct, cylindrical, and prominent, and the front 

 edge of the hind-wings does not seem to be formed to extend be- 

 yond that of the other pair when the wings are closed. It ex- 

 pands from five to six inches. In the year 1828, I found three of 

 the eggs of this fine insect on the black walnut on the twentieth 

 of July and the fourth of August. They were just hatched at 

 the time, and the caterpillars were near to them resting on a leaf. 

 The position of these young insects was so peculiar as to attract 

 attention, independently of the long branching spines with which 

 the forepart of their body was armed. They were not stretched 

 out in a straight line, neither were they hunched up like the cater- 

 pillars of the Luna and Polyphemus moths ; but, when at rest, 

 they bent the forepart of the body sidewise, so that the head 

 nearly touched the middle of the side, and their long horn-like 

 spines were stretched forwards, in a slanting direction, over the 

 head. When disturbed they raised their heads and horns, and 

 shook them from side to side in a menacing manner. These little 

 caterpillars were nearly black ; on each of the rings, except the 

 last two, there were six straight yellow thorns or spines, which 

 were furnished on all sides with little sharp points like short 

 branches. Of these branched spines, two on the top of the first 

 ring, and four on the second and the third rings, or ten in all, 

 were very much longer than the rest, and were tipped with little 

 knobs, ending in two points ; they were also movable, the insect 

 having the power of dropping them almost horizontally over the 

 head, and of raising them up again perpendicularly. On the 

 eleventh ring there were seven spines, the middle one being long 

 and knobbed like those on the forepart of the body ; on the last 

 ring there were eleven short and branched spines. After casting 

 its skin two or three times, the caterpillar becomes lighter colored, 

 and gradually changes to green ; the knobs on the long spines dis- 

 appear, their little points or branches do not increase in size, and 



