140 NORTH AMERICAN INSECTS. 



woods, elms, sassafras, or poplars, we find upon their leaves 

 a number of small pale-green caterpillars, covered with 

 clusters of light-green short prickles, and having a brown 

 and white longitudinal stripe on both sides of the lower 

 ventral part of the body, and extending from the head to 

 the abdomen. These caterpillars live together very socia- 

 bly during their infancy, but disperse at mature age, and 

 travel about through meadows and gardens, where they are 

 often found upon the leaves of clover, Indian corn, and, 

 other grass-like plants, upon which they feed. 



One of these caterpillars is represented in Fig. 26, and 

 when full grown is more than two inches long. Its fine 

 colors attract many a young person, who soon finds himself 

 affected to tears by the sharp pains of its prickles, which 

 sting like nettles. 



It is easy to raise these caterpillars, as their food can so 

 easily be procured, consisting of elm and poplar leaves, or 

 any kind of grass. After having cast their skin four times, 

 and when they are about seven or eight weeks old, each 

 one looks out for a large leaf on the ground, the margins 

 of which it fastens together in an irregular form, then lines 

 the inside with gum, in order to make the cocoon stiff and 

 impenetrable to the inclemency of the severest weather. In 

 this condition the chrysalis remains through the whole win- 

 ter and until the following summer, when they awake by 

 the spiritual rapping of the warm element, rise from their 

 graves clad in an orange and purple dress, and ascend to- 

 ward the sky as perfect moths. 



This Nocturnal Lepidoptera received its name after 

 Juno, the daughter of Saturn, also called Saturnia, and her 

 priestess, lo. 



The Saturnia lo is represented in Figs. 27 and 28, the 

 male with four, and the female with two globular, black 

 spots on the wings. The female is the larger, and differs 

 in color. - 



