298 INSECTS INJURIOUS TO VEGETATION. 



ately afterwards changes to a chrysalis. The cocoons fall 

 i'rom the trees in the autumn with the leaves in which they 

 are enveloped; and the moths make their escape from them 

 in June. 



A caterpillar, closely resembling that of the Luna-moth, may 

 be found on oaks, and sometimes also on elm and lime trees, 

 in August and September. Its sides are not striped with yel- 

 low, and there are no transverse yellow bands on the back; 

 the warts have a pearly lustre, more or less tinted with orange, 

 rose-red, or purple, and between the two lowermost on the side 

 of each ri)ig is an oblique white line; the head and the feet 

 are brown ; and the tail is bordered by a brown V shaped line. 

 These caterpillars, in repose, cling to the twigs of the trees, 

 with their backs downwards, contract their bodies in length, 

 and hunch up the rings even more than those of the Luna- 

 rrioth, which, when fully grown, they somewhat exceed in size. 

 They make their cocoons upon the trees in the same manner, 

 wiih an outer covering of leaves, which fall off in the autumn, 

 bearing the enclosed tough oval cocoons to the ground, where 

 they remain through the winter, and the moths come out in 

 the month of June following. Notwithstanding the great sim- 

 ilarity of tb{^ caterpillar and its cocooji to those of the Luna, 

 the moth is entirely different. Its hind wings are not tailed, 

 but are cut off" almost square at the corners. It is of a dull 

 ochre-yellow color, more or less clouded with black in the mid- 

 dle of the wings, on each of which there is a transparent eye- 

 like spot, divided transversely by a slender line, and encircled 

 by yellow and black rings; before and adjoining to the eye- 

 spot of the hind wings is a large blue spot shading into black; 

 near the hinder margin of the wings is a dusky band, edged 

 with reddish white behind; on the front margin of the fore 

 wings is a gray stripe, which also crosses the fore part of the 

 thorax; and near the base of the same wings are two short 

 red lines, edged with white. It expands from five and a 

 quarter to six inches. This moth, on account of its great 

 size, is called Pol y pli emus ^ the name of one of the giants in 

 vDvlhology. 



