444 INSECTS AT HOME. 



tion of the preceding insect. The pupa is blacker than that 

 of the Oak-eggar. The perfect insect appears about the be- 

 ginning of summer. Large and strong as this Moth appears 

 to be, the plumage is in reality exceedingly delicate, and sure 

 to be rubbed and damaged if the insect be caught in a net. 

 Bearing it from the caterpillar, or pupa — the latter plan gene- 

 rally producing the finest specimens — will generally ensure 

 perfect insects, one of which should be carefully set as it 

 appears when at rest. 



OuE last example of the Nocturni is the beautiful Empeeor 

 Moth [Saturnia Carpini or pavonia-7nino7'\ the female of 

 which is represented on Plate XV. Fig. 3. The general ap- 

 pearance of both sexes is very similar, except that the colours 

 of the male are much more brilliant than those of the female. 

 As she is figured in the Plate, we will describe her first. The 

 colour and markings are so conspicuous that there is no neces- 

 sity for very minute detail. The wings are pearly-grey, mottled 

 and striped with brown, dark-grey, and chestnut. On each of 

 the wings there is an eye-like spot, black in the middle, and 

 surrounded with consecutive rings of warm buff and black, 

 variegated with dark-crimson and violet. 



The male has the upper wings of deeper and richer hues 

 than those of his mate, and the under wings are warm ochreous 

 orange, mottled and striped as in the female. The eye-like 

 spots are similar in both sexes. The male is also distinguished 

 by the antennae, which are shorter than those of the female, 

 and have a beautiful double feathering, widest in the middle, 

 and decreasing towards the base and tip, so as to give the 

 whole organ an outline much resembling that of the laurel 

 leaf. 



The caterpillar is quite as conspicuous as the perfect insect. 

 It is beautiful leafy-green in colour, and the segments are 

 marked so very distinctly that they look as if a number of 

 threads had been tied tightly round the insect at the junctures 

 of the segments. On each segment are a number of pink 

 tubercles, each tubercle bearing a small brush of black bristles, 

 and being sarrounded with a ring of black. It feeds on a 

 variety of plants, but I have found it more frequently on 

 heath than on any other plant. 



