37 



The female moth, when its vviugs are spread, will measure about one and a half 

 inches ; the male about a quarter of an inch less. The fore wings are grayish brown, 

 wth bands and dots of dark brown ; one band crosses the wing about an eighth of an inch 

 from the base, and a second — which sometimes does not extend entirely across — is placed 

 midway between the first and the outer margin. There is a dull patch of brown near the 

 front edge of the wing, between the first and second bands, and two or three prominent 

 black dots similarly situated between the second band and the apex ; the outer edge is 

 also widely margined with brown. 



The inner portion of the hind wings is similar in colour to the front pair ; the outer 

 half is crossed by two darker bands irregular in outline, the space between them being 

 occupied by a paler hue, as also is the space between the outside band and the hind mar- 

 gin, which latter is narrowly bordered with the darker shade. The markings on both 

 wings vary much in intensity, being sometimes almost black, in other instances very 

 faint. 



The under surfaces of both wings are much paler, with the markings of the upper 

 surface partially but indistinctly produced. 



Drasteria erichtea appears among our earliest insects in spring, having passed the win- 

 ter in the chrysalis state ; it is also found up to quite a late period in the autumn. It fre- 

 quents fields and meadows, and open grassy spots along the sides of our railroad tracks. 

 Its flight is sudden, and after a short but rapid course, it as suddenl3' alights. 



The caterpillar feeds on clover, and when full grown measures one and a quarter 

 inches in length or more. It has a medium sized head, rather flat in front, with darker 

 longitudinal line^ The body above is reddish brown, with many longitudinal lines and 

 strijies of a darker shade. There is a double whitish line down the back, with a stripe 

 of the darker shade of brown on each side, and lower down, close to the spiracles, is 

 another stripe of the same dark hue, while between these two are faint longitudinal lines. 

 The spaces between the segments, from fifth to eighth inclusive, are nearly black above, 

 a feature only seen, however, when the body is coiled up ; the larva readily assumes this 

 attitude when disturbed. 



The under surface is a little darker than the upper, with many longitudinal lines of 

 a still deepei- shade, and a central stripe of blackish green from the sixth to the ninth 

 segments. The feet and prolegs are greenish and semi-transparent, with faint lines and 

 darker dots. This larva has but three pairs of prolegs, and hence it alternately arches 

 and extends its body in progression. 



The specimens from which the above description was taken were full grown by the 

 third week in September, when they became chrysalids, and remained in that condition 

 until early the following spring. 



The Beautiful Wood Nymph {Eudryas grata). 



This moth (see fig. 19) is truly a beautiful creature. Its fore wings are creamy white, 

 with a glossy surface, with a wide brownish purple stripe along the anterior edge, reach- 

 Fig- 19. iug from the base to a little beyond the middle of the 

 wing. On the outer margin is a broad band of the same 

 hue, widening posteriorly, with a wavy white line run- 

 ning through it, composed of minute pearly dots or scales. 

 It is bordered internally with dull deep green. The 

 brownish purple band is continued along the hinder edge, 

 but it is n\uch narrower here, anil terminates a little be- 

 fore it reaches the base. There are also two brown spots, 

 _ one round, the other reniform, near the middle of the 

 Colours, creamy ^^.hite and brownish wing, often SO suff^used with pearly white Scales as to 

 purple. be indistinct above, but clear and striking on the under 

 side. 

 The hind wings are reddish yellow, with a broad brownish purple band along the 

 outer margin, extending nearly to the outer angle, and powdered here and there with a 

 few whitish pearly scales ; there is also a faint dot on the middle of the wing, which is re- 

 produced more prominently on the under side. The under surface of both wings is red- 



