64 METAMORPHOSES OF 



and waste places round San Paulo. The colour during 

 the first stage is black, with a light brown patch in the 

 middle segments ; the spines of the anterior segments are 

 very long, and are terminated with a curious crescent-shaped 

 knob. With each change of skin the colour alters consider- 

 ably, the black disappearing and a brown tint taking its 

 place ; the diagonal markings along the sides become more 

 and more distinct. After the last change of skin the colour 

 is much the same as during the penultimate stage, but 

 lighter in shade and suflfused with a pinkish grey. The 

 spines on the anterior segments are still very long, and have 

 a white transparent appearance and a black tip. Their 

 resemblance to glass is remarkable. But after a few days 

 the pinkish grey gradually changes into bright green, and the 

 spines diminish in length and become red. The spines are 

 venomous, and cause considerable pain when brought in 

 contact with the skin ; but the eiBFects are not so violent as 

 in many other species. When annoyed the caterpillar flings 

 its head back to strike the offending object with the spines. 

 (See fig. 17, plate V.) 



Pupa, a. Full-fed, Dec. 7, 1877 ; Imago, Jan. 17, 1878. 



When full-fed the caterpillar enters the ground, and there 

 undergoes pupation. 



/a, s Full-fed, Dec. 7, 1877 ; Imago, Jan. 17, 

 Imago. 1878 = 41 days. 



^b, — Full-fed, Nov. 30, 1880; Changed, Dec. 6; 

 V Imago, Jan. 15, 1881 = 40 days. 



The moth appears about six weeks after the caterpillar 

 enters the ground. There is a good deal of variety in the 

 marking of specimens. In some of the females the " death's 

 head " on the anterior wings is very distinct. 



