45 



Upper Side. The thorax and anterior wings dark chocolate, with a small, narrow, irregular black 

 line crossing the wings, near the external edge; having near it, just above the fringe, a row of seven 

 small grey spots. Posterior wings pale orange ; having a deep black border. A rather broad black 

 line runs in a circular direction from the anterior edge, through the middle of the wings, to the lower 

 part of the interior margin. At the outer angle is a small spot of a pale orange. 



Under Side. Anterior wings at the base of a dark clay colour, with a large yellowish cloud 

 occupying all the middle part ; in which is a large black streak running across the wing. Posterior 

 wings marked as on the upper side, but all the colours fainter. 



ACTIAS LUNA. 



Plate XXIV. R'y. 1. 



Order; Lepidoptera. Section: Nocturna. Family: BonibycidiP. 



Genus. Actias Leach. Satuniia, Scfinmk. Attacus, Germar. Phala;na (Attacus), Linn. 



-AcTiAs Luna. Alis caudatis flavo-virentibus concoloribus, ocello disci lunato, margine antico anticarum 

 purpureo. (Expans. Alar. 6 unc. 6 lin.) 



Syn. Phaleena (Attacus) L\ma.,Linn. Syst. Nat. i.^W. No. b. Catesby Carolina, ind vol. p. So. Fabr. Ent. 



Syst. Ul.l.p. 414. No. 22. Gmel. Linn. S. N. 2404. 5. Abbot ^ Smith Ins. Georgia, pi. 48. Olio. 



Enc. Meth. a. 39. 20. Pal. Bauv. his. Afr. §• Am. Lep. pi. 22./. 3. Leach Zool. Misc. v. 2. (Actias L.) 

 Habitat: New York, Carolina, Virginia, Maryland. 



Upper Side. Antennae brown, and strongly pectinated. The head white, small, and almost hid 

 under the shoulders and neck, having a small brown ring encircling it. Thoi-ax pale yellow, having 

 a chocolate or dark brown line crossing it, parallel with the margins of the anterior wings. All 

 the wings are of a beautiful pea-green colour : the nerves being of a pale red brown. Along 

 the anterior margin of the anterior wings runs a chocolate line, which is narrowed towards the 

 tips. About an inch from the shoulders springs from this line a small curved one, which, bending 

 towards the middle of the wing, terminates in a small eye, pointed in the lower part, whose pupil 

 is transparent like glass ; the iris being partly red and partly black, within which are semicircles 

 of white ; external margin of the wings, red brown ; the posterior being white. Posterior wings 

 furnished with two broad tails, which, at their extremities, appear as if they were crimped ; their external 

 edges being red brown. In the middle of each of these wings is likewise an eye, similar to, but rather 

 larger than those in the anterior ones. Abdomen white. 



Under Side. Abdomen white, the sides being of a dark clay colour. All the wings are of the 

 same colour as on the upper side ; the nerves being browner and more conspicuous, without the brown 

 edge on the anterior pair ; the eyes themselves are the same as on that side. The anterior margin of the 

 inferior wings is white, and the eyes strongly resemble those of an animal having them half shut. 



Drury's correspondent informed him that the caterpillar of this handsome moth is reil, 

 and feeds on the leaves of the sassafras tree. When they are full-fed they inclose them- 

 selves in a strong case composed of the substance of the tree, and a glutinous matter which 

 they secrete. They appear in June and August. The caterpillar, however, figured by 

 Abbot is green, with short hairs scattered over the bodv, and with about eight small red 



