WOOD-NYMPH MOTHS. 69 
THE BEAUTIFUL WOOD-NYMPH. 
(Eudryas grata Fab.). 
The larva of this beautiful moth is almost as destructive 
to the foliage of the grape as the Eight-spotted Forester, 
but itis not found in such destructive numbers year after 
year as the latter insect. The moth has milk-white front- 
wings, broadly bordered and marked with brownish-purple. 
The band on the outer margin is shaded on the inner side 
with olive-green and marked towards the edge with a 
slender, wavy white line. The brownish-purple band is con- 
tinued along the hinder edges, but gradually becomes nar- 
rower, and terminates near the base. There are two 
brownish spots near the middle of the front-wing, one 
round, the other kidney-shaped; they are frequently so’ 
densely covered with white scales as to be indistinct above, 
but they are always visible on the under surface. The under 
surface of the wings is reddish-yellow. The head is black, 
and there is a wide black stripe down the back, merging in- 
to a series of black spots extending to near the tip of the 
abdomen, which is tulted with white. The shoulder-covers 
are white, and the sides of the body deep yellow, with a row 
of black dots along each side close to the under surface. 
The moth, which is active at night, and sometimes at- 
tracted to the electric lights in large numbers, is often dis- 
covered during the day upon the surface of the leaves of its 
food-plants. (See Fig. 65, Plate X). Its closed wings form 
a steep roof over its back, and its forelegs, which have a 
curious muff-like tuft of white hairs, are protruded and give 
the insect a very peculiar appearance. Looking at it from 
a short distance the insect resembles very closely the fresh 
and still semi-fluid droppings of a bird. The moth evidently 
depends upon this resemblance, which is sometimes unpleas- 
antly realistic, as a protection against birds. 
