92 Lloyd's natural historv. 



reddish-brown hair; the abdomen with orange-brown and white 

 bands of uniform breadth, the latter edged behind with black. 

 The wings are reddish-brown, the fore-wings with the basal 

 area orange-brown, bounded externally by a narrow angu- 

 lated whitish band, extending from the inner margin nearly to 

 the costa. The disc is rusty-brown, with a large white curved 

 central spot, edged with black and tinged with reddish-brown ; 

 beyond this there is a broad reddish-orange band bordered 

 within with white. The tips of the wings are brown, pow^dered 

 with grey. There is a round black spot near the tip, with a 

 light-coloured crescent within it. A white zig-zag band runs 

 from the black spot to the costa. The marginal area is buff 

 externally and yellow internally, bounded within by a narrow 

 black line. The hind-wings are similar to the fore-wings, but 

 the white discoidal spot is larger, the transverse band broader, 

 and more bordered with white on its inner side ; the hind margin 

 is dull buff, with two faint black hues, and a row of long black 

 curved spots. All the markings are brighter and more distinct 

 on the under side. The hind-wings are bordered with white 

 along the costa, broadening as it nears the tip. 



The larva feeds on wild American plum {Priimcs pennsyl- 

 vanicus)^ but is said to eat apple in confinement. It is green, 

 with a yellow head and legs, and numerous projections of the 

 same colour on the body, and there are two blue spots on each 

 segment. It spins its cocoon on a branch of the food-plant. 

 The cocoon is larger than a pigeon's-egg, and yellowish-brown 

 in colour, the outer layer of silk being coarse, but the inner 

 portions finer. The silk has been utilised for making stockings, 

 after being carded and spun, and Abbot says it will wash like 

 linen. The insect is common in many parts of North America, 

 and other closely-allied species of the genus are met with in 

 the Northern and Western States. 



I am not aware that any attempts have recently been made 



