SATURNID^. $7 



handsome — in some cases magnificent — species, of which the 

 silk of the cocoons is used, or suggested, for the manufacture 

 of the stronger silk materials ; many of them have trans- 

 parent, window-like spots on the fore wings, which are not 

 visible in our one species. 



Genus 1. SATURNIA. 



Antennae pectinated in both sexes, very broadly so in the 

 male, each joint having two pairs of long teeth ; tongue 

 minute, f unctionless ; thorax and abdomen robust, wings 

 broad, having ocellated spots ; fore wings elongated. 



1. S. carpini, W.V. ; pavonia, Stand. Cat. — Expanse 

 of male 2^ to 2f inches, of female 2f to 3^. Dark, or pale, 

 purplish grey, with a large dark eye-spot in the middle of 

 each wing. 



Antennae of the male rather short, stout and straight, 

 strongly pectinated with very long teeth, the rows of which 

 stand apart in nearly opposite directions and form a beautiful 

 object, the teeth on each side being arranged in pairs, each 

 pair connected by delicate rows of fine curved hairs ; light 

 brown. Head small, dark brown ; collar broad, greyish- 

 white or snowy-white ; thorax broad and strong, densely 

 covered with long fur-like golden-brown scales ; abdomen 

 short, not very stout, but tapering, similarly covered with 

 dark golden-brown scales ; anal tuft very small. Fore wings 

 long and broad, with the apical portion extended ; costa 

 slightly hollowed in the middle but rounded beyond with a 

 long curve sweeping smoothly quite round the apex down the 

 hind margin, which also becomes slightly hollowed in the 

 middle, then swells into a full curve which passes round the 

 anal angle to the dorsal margin ; colour dark purple-grey, 

 exceedingly rich looking, minutely stippled, in a tranverse 

 direction, with paler dots and short lines ; first transverse 

 line somewhat broad and ill-defined, rather oblique, black, 



