THE PUSS iMOTH. 



63 



The reddish brown chrysaHs is enclosed in a hard cocoon spun 

 up and securely attached to the trunk or under a Hmb of the tree 

 upon which the caterpillar was nourished, or upon some other 

 adjacent thereto. I once found a cocoon on the lower rail of a 

 garden fence. In construct- 

 ing the cocoon fragments 

 of bark and wood are 

 worked on the exterior, but 

 failing these the cater- 

 pillar will make use of any 

 available material for the 

 purpose. If enclosed in a 

 tumbler covered with glass 

 it will spin a transparent 

 cocoon. Emergence from 

 its strong pupal chamber 

 would appear to be a diffi- 

 cult matter, but the cater- 

 pillar and the chrysalis 

 both contribute something 

 towards assisting the final 

 efforts of the moth to 

 escape. The caterpillar, in 

 constructing the cocoon, is 

 careful to make the exit 

 end with a thiner layer than 

 the other parts ; then the 

 chrysalis is provided with 

 a cutting implement in the 

 shape of a keel-like ar- 

 rangement on the fore part, 

 and with this it operates at 

 the right time on the weak end until a breach is made ; the 

 moth breaks the head end of the chrysalis case and moistens 



Fig. 20. 

 Caterpillar of Puss Moth. 



