SATURNID^, 6i 



June to August on bramble, heather, sallow, willow, 

 raspberry, hazle, hornbeam, blackthorn, birch, alder, the two 

 common species of Erica, Spircea ulmaria and Lythrwn 

 salicaria. Although so easily satisfied as to food, it is not 

 very easy to rear, but must be allowed plenty of air and 

 sunshine. 



Pupa rather flattened, very broad, dark brown, broadest 

 across the middle ; bluntly rounded in front, but with rough- 

 nesses indicating the shape of the head ; antenna cases very 

 strongly marked, and in the male showing the shape of 

 the long divergent pectinations on both sides of the shaft ; 

 wing cases broad and distinct, abdomen rather short ; anal 

 segment with a large conspicuous scutcheon of minute 

 hooks in rings, and behind it a line of long straight black 

 bristles. 



In a singular flask-shaped cocoon of the toughest, firmest 

 silk cemented together into a hard, thin, brown case, but pro- 

 duced at the top to a sort of blunt point, where ends of firm 

 silk threads, all pointing together, make an opening from 

 which escape can be effected without rupture of any part of 

 the cocoon, but which fit so closely together at the points that 

 no ingress can be obtained. Spun up near the ground, at the 

 bases of the heather stems, or among brambles or other close 

 undergrowth. Well concealed and remaining in this state 

 through the winter. 



The male of this beautiful species is extremely active in the 

 day time, especially in the sunshine, flying with great swift- 

 ness ; but is seldom seen unless a freshly emerged female is 

 at hand. Such an attraction, however, draws together con- 

 siderable numbers in suitable localities. Even then they are 

 sometimes shy and hard to secure ; and they usually do not 

 exhibit the frantic violence shown by the last species and 

 by Lasiocampa querciXs. The female may occasionally be 

 found sitting on heather, but is rarely observed to fly, and 

 probably does so only at night. 



