44 



to about three inches. In the CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST (vol. %'i., p. 86) Mr. Gentry 

 de.-3cribe.s an interesting va.,ety in which the general colour is a dull reddish brown ; the 

 lateral and transverse stripes of yellow have vanished, the abdominal spots shine conspic- 

 uously, but without the yellow edging ; the pearl-coloured warts with their puqtle edge 

 have, however, assumed a richer hue, and blaze like a coronet of rubies. 



When the larva has passed its allotted days in eating the leaves of the hickory ,beech, 

 oak or walnut, and is thinking seriousl}' of prepaiing its silken shroud and the 

 casket in which it is to lie until its resurrection morn, it casts about and draws together 

 two or three leaves of a tree, and within this hollow spins an oval and very close and 

 strong cocoon of whitish silk. It is about IJ inches in length, of a chestnut brown on 

 the outside ; very thin, and frequently rough on the surface ; covered with warts and 

 excrescences, but seldom showing the print of leaves. Harris says that the cocoons ai'e 

 formed on the trees, and that they fall to earth with the leaves shaken off by autumnal 

 gales ; but other observers assert that the larva crawls to the ground just before its change, 

 and there prepares for its future transformations. 



In this state, too, the Luna greatly resembles the Polyphemus, and many a collector 

 having — after careful searching — got together a fair supply of what he deems Luna chry- 

 salids, is greatly chagrined by finding dusky, one-eyed giant Polyphemi issue from the 

 silken tombs, instead of a bright throng of empresses of the night in their delicate bridal 

 attire. The Polyphemus cocoons are, however, white or dirty white ; rather smaller than 

 the Lunas, with rounded ends ; sometimes angular, because of leaves moulded unevenly 

 into the surface, and generally coated with a white powder. 



About the month of June the Lunas awake from their long and death-like sleep, 

 burst asunder their cerements — having first loosened the compact threads by ejecting a 

 liquid — and issue forth in all their glory, no more to be mistaken for the sober one-eyed 

 Cyclopeans, but resplendent in gay attire. The wings, which expand from 4| to 5J inches, 

 are of a delicate light green colour, and the hinder ones are each prolonged into a tail of 

 an inch'and a half or more in length — longer, indeed, than those of the day-flying Papilios. 

 Along the front edge of the fore wings is a broad purple-brown stripe, extending also 

 across the thorax, and sending backwards a little branch to a glittering, eye-like spot near 

 the middle of the wing. These e3'es (of which there is one on each of the wings) are 

 transparent in the centre, and encircled bj' rings of white, yellow, blue and black. The 

 hinder borders are more or less edged with purple brown. All the nervures are very dis- 

 tinct and pale brown. Near the body the wings are densely covered with hairs. The 

 under sides are similar to the upper, except that an indistinct undulating line runs along 

 the margin of both wings. 



As for the body that bears these lovely appendages, the thorax is white, sometimes 

 yellowish or greenish, crossed by the purple-brown stripe that traverses the whole length 

 of the upper edge of the front wings ; the abdomen is of the same colour as the thorax, 

 and covered with white hairs like wool. The head is white and small, and adorned with 

 wide, flat and strongly pectinated anteunse of a brownish tinge. The legs are purple- 

 brown. 



Such is Luna in her various transformations to outward appearance ; notwithstand- 

 ing her size and loveliness, her habits and peculiar instincts are not very noteworthy. 

 The gift of superior beauty, as among the highest of animals so in the insect world, is not 

 frequently accompanied by remarkable intelligence or superior sense ; and the most gaudy 

 butterfly or moth is a fool in comparison with the dingy-coloured bee. The caterpillars of 

 butterflies and moths have some various instincts — chiefly in the direction of silk spinning 

 and sepulchre building — but the perfect insects only live " to increase and multiply their 

 race, and embellish nature. Their existence in the perfect state is usually very brief ; it 

 is one of the prettiest of honeymoons, and often love subdues and destroys every other 

 pas.sion. The gourmandizing caterpillar is never troubled by the ardent flame which con- 

 sumes even the thought of sipping the nectar of the flowers that rival in beauty the wings 

 o^' the perfect representation of elegance and love. The early insect lives and eats, and the 

 perfect form lives and dies." 



