400 



L E P I D P T E R A . 



same family, the feelers in this are distinct, cylindrical, and 

 prominent, and the front edge of the hind wings does not 

 seem to be formed to extend beyond that of the other pair 

 when the wings are closed. It expands from five to six 



Fig. 194. 



inches. In the year 1828, I fonnd three of the eggs of this 

 fine insect on the black walnut on the 20tli of July and 

 the 4th of August. They were just hatched at the time, 

 and the caterpillars were near to them resting on a leaf. 

 The position of these young insects was so peculiar as to 

 attract attention, independently of the long branching spines 

 with which the fore part of their body was armed. They 

 were not stretched out in a straight line, neither were they 

 hunched up like the caterpillars of the Luna and Polyphe- 

 mus moths ; but, when at rest, they bent the fore part of 

 the body sideways, so that the head nearly touched the 

 middle of the side, and their long horn-like spines were 

 stretched forwards, in a slanting direction, over the liead. 

 When disturbed, they raised their heads and horns, and 

 shook them from side to side in a menacing manner. These 

 little caterpillars were nearly black ; on eacli of the rings, 

 except the last two, there were six straight yellow thorns 

 or spines, which were furnished on all sides with little sharp 

 points like short branches. Of these branched spines, two 



