MOTHS OF THE LTMBERLOST 



fore the ovipositor is thrust out. According to my 

 sense of smell there is very little odour to the spray and 

 what there is would be dissipated hours before night and 

 time for the moths to fly and seek mates. I do not think 

 that the spray thrown so soon after escape from cocoon 

 or case is to attract the sexes, any farther than that much 

 of it in one place on something that it would saturate 

 might leave a general "motliy" odour. Some lepidop- 

 terists think this spray a means of defence; if this is true 

 I fail to see why it should be thrown when there is 

 nothing disturbing the moth. 



Many of the spinning moths use leaves for their outer 

 foundation. Some ajjpear as if snugly rolled in a leaf 

 and hanging from a twig, but examination will prove 

 that the stem is silk covered to hold the case when the 

 leaf loosens. This is the rule with all Promethea cocoons 

 I ever have seen. Polyphemus selects a cluster of leaves 

 very frequently thorn, and w^eaves its cocoon against 

 three, drawing them together and spinning a support 

 the length of the stems, so that when the leaf is ready to 

 fall the cocoon is safely anchored. When the winter 

 winds have beaten the edges from the leaves, the cocoon 

 appears as if it were browm, having three ribs with veins 

 running from them, and of triangular shape. Angulifera 

 spins against the leaves but jn-ovides no support and so 

 drops to the ground. Luna spins a comparatively thin 

 white case, among the leaves under the shelter of logs 



75 



