114. NATURE SKETCHES IN TEMPERATE AMERICA 



ered. It lived for many days after and underwent the trans- 

 formation into pupa and moth as described. 



Packard, in his "Forest Insects," quotes some interesting 

 observations by Riley on the allied species Schizura laiicornis. 

 The caterpillar feeds on quite a number of different plants, 

 such as the oak, elm, plum, apple, dogwood, winterberry, rose, 

 blackberry, and hickory. "This insect is evidently two- 

 brooded, those of the first brood spinning their cocoons at the 

 commencement of July, while larvae of a second brood, often 

 only about one-fourth growai, are found as late as October 

 tenth. The cocoon is very thin, like parchment, and is fre- 

 quently constructed of leaves drawn together for the purpose. 

 The mimicry of the caterpillar when on the blackberry stem 

 or leaf is exact, and the imitative resemblance of the moth 

 when at rest on the bark of a tree is still more striking. The 

 moth always rests head downwards, with the legs all drawn 

 together and its wings folded around the body, which is stretched 

 out at an angle of about forty-five degrees; the dull gray coloring 

 of the wings, with the lichen green and flesh color, give the 

 whole such a perfect appearance of a piece of rough bark that 

 the deception is perfect. Some of the caterpillars are infested 

 with Tachinids and the parasitic insect Ophion purgator." 



In the second plate illustration is given another photographic 

 figure of a caterpillar, possibly allied to Schizura, which was 

 found feeding on the wild gooseberry. This larva also presents 

 a broken, dorsal outline, the forward tubercle here giving an 

 appearance not unlike the spines on the twigs. 



