MOTHS OF THE LIMBERLOST 



as infallible. If you are studying this most fragile phase 

 of life with which I am acquainted, you need not take 

 the word of any one. Find out for yourself, and use 

 all the common sense the Almighty has bestowed upon 

 you, in arriving at your conclusions. 



The emergence I have watched repeatedly, studied 

 photographically, and recorded in the tabulated records 

 from which I wrote the following life histories. At time 

 to appear I believe the pupa bores its way with the sharp 

 point of the abdomen; at least I have seen Celeus, and 

 Carolina, Regalis and Imperialis coming through the sur- 

 face, abdomen tip first. Once free, they press with the 

 feet against the wing shields, burst them away and leave 

 the case at the thorax. Each moth I ever have seen 

 emerge has been wet and the empty case damp inside. I 

 have poured three large drops of pinkish liquid the 

 consistency of thin cream from the abdominal rings of a 

 Regalis case. Undoubtedly this liquid is ejected by the 

 moth to enable it to break loose from and leave the case 

 with its delicate down intact. The furry scales of its 

 covering are so loosely set that any violent struggle 

 with dry down would disfigure the moth. 



i.\mong Cecropia and its Attacine cousins, also Luna, 

 Polyphemus, and all other spinners the process is i:)rac- 

 tically the same, save that it is much more elaborate; 

 most of all with Cecropia, that spins the largest cocoon 

 I ever have seen, and it varies its work more than any 



67 



