LEPIDOPTERA. 247 



larger than the males. It is of a white color; the fore-wings and 

 thorax are ornamented with many small oval black rings, the 

 hind-wings are more or less spotted with black ; and the abdomen 

 is yellow, with rows of large blue-black spots on the back and 

 sides. The caterpillar, as represented by Mr. Abbot*, is the 

 counterpart of that of the Hehe of Europe, being chestnut-brown, 

 with transverse red bands between the rings ; and is clothed with 

 clusters of dark brown hairs. It is said to eat the leaves of the 

 wild sun-flower, and of various other plants. It has been confi- 

 dently reported to me that the great leopard moth has been seen 

 in Brookline ; but it must be very rare here, for I. have never 

 heard of its being taken in any part of New England. Specimens 

 of this fine insect would be a very acceptable addition to any col- 

 lection of such objects. 



Of all the hairy caterpillars frequenting our gardens, there are 

 none so common and troublesome as that which I have called the 

 yellow bear. Like most of its genus it is a very general feeder, 

 devouring almost all kinds of herbaceous plants, with equal relish, 

 from the broad-leaved plantain at the door-side, the peas, beans, 

 and even the flowers of the garden, and the corn and coarse 

 grasses of the fields, to, the leaves of the vine, the currant, and the 

 gooseberry, which it dees not refuse when pressed by hunger. 

 This kind of caterpillar varies very much in its colors ; it is per- 

 haps most often of a pale yellow or straw color, with a black line 

 along each side of the body, and a transverse line of the same 

 color between each of the segments or rings, and it is covered 

 with long pale yellow hairs. Others are often seen of a rusty or 

 brownish yellow color, with the same black lines on the sides and 

 between the rings, and they are clothed with foxy red or light 

 brown, hairs. The head and ends of the feet are ochre-yellow, 

 and the under-side of the body is blackish in all the varieties. 

 They are to be found of different ages and sizes from the first of 

 June till October. When fully grown they are about two inches 

 long, and then creep into some convenient place of shelter, make 

 their cocoons, in which they remain in the chrysalis state during 

 the winter, and are changed to moths in the months of May or 



* Insects of Georgia, p. 137, pi. G9. 



