126 



FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT OF 



cumference being nearly cylindrical — and more flattened. They are Avhit- 

 ish, inctftiiiig to flesh color on the top and bottom, and encircled 

 on the sides by a characteristic broad band of ambei'-brown, which is the- 

 natural coloring of the egg-shell and distinct from the brown fluid which Is 

 secreted with and fastens them to whatever object they are consigned. 

 This brown band has a narrow pale spot at the two smaller ends. The 

 moths issue with us the latter part of April, or in May, and the female com- 

 mences depositing ver}^ soon afterwards. The eggs hatch in about ten 

 days after de]iosition. 



The worm feeds on Oak, Walnut, Hickory, Bass-wood ( ZWw), Elm, Ma- 

 ple, Hazel^ Apple, Rose, Quince, Thorn, Plum, Choke cherry, 83'camore,. 

 Poplar, Birch, Honey locust, Blucberr}^ and Willow; on the flrst nine oi" 

 which I have found it myself It has the general form of that of Luna,. 

 though the sides are not so sloping nor the incisions so deep. When full- 

 grown (Fig. 52) it is a most delicate and beautiful object, being of a clear 

 apple-green color, with oblique yellow lateral lines, and tubercles tinselled 

 Avith orange, gold and silver. The head, spiracles, legs and ends of prolegs^ 

 are of a butf-j-ellow, the front edge of the fii'st joint sulphur-^^ellow, and the 

 dges of the anal shield purple. 



Larval Changes. — In the flrst stage the larva is yellow, becoming greeuei- in appearance as it 

 increases in size. The tubercles are situated as in the other species and are }'ellow, capped with a 

 whorl of rufous bristles. The two dorsal rows are large, conspicuous, and except on joint 11 uni- 

 form in size. In the subdorsal row they are large on the thoracic and 13th joints, but almost obsolete 

 on the rest. In the stigmatal row they are small and of equal size. Each joint has two transverse 

 black lines between the subdorsal and the stigmatal I'ows of tubercles : the head is reddish-brown, 

 and there is a transverse line of the same color on tlie flrst joint. In the second stage it is of a beau- 

 tiful green; the tubercles are of the same relative size, those on tlie back having a length of }i the 

 diameter of the body; they arc thick and slightly bell-shaped, green at base, yellow in the middle, and 

 orange-red at tip, wiMi the bristles or spiues mostly l)lack. Only one of tlie black lines remains 

 to each joint and that is very faint, contains the spiracles, and is shaded ■with paler greeu behind. 

 The head and cervical shield are of a deeper i-ed-brown and the anal plate is edged with pearly whitish- 

 gi'cen. In the third stage there is little change: the tips of the tubercles deepen into coral-red; 

 the subdorsal row becomes almost as conspicuous as the stigmatal, and there is no longer any black, 

 lines between them, though the spiracles are now quite black and well relieved by pale green behind. 

 In the fourth sta^e the tubercles are relatively smaller, the head is of a still deeper purple-brown, 

 with the front edge of flrst joint, and the lateral olilique line, which is now more distinct, of a deli- 

 cate sul|)huv-yellow; the spiracles are deep ))vown, and the edge of the anal plate is silvery-white- 

 below, graduating into liliceous and then into deep purple above. As it approaches tho'fourth moult, 

 the tubercles aciiuire a metalic, or silvery'cast, and the other colors deepen. In the flfth stage the 

 seven oblique lines, connecting the subdoi-sal with the stigm;ital tubercles on joints 5—11 are bright sul- 

 phur-yellow, the tubercles appear tinselled and reflect golden, silver and purple hues: the dorsal 

 rows give forth but two or three straw-colored bristles, and the subdorsal rows but one of the same 

 color, all pointing upward and forwai-d; while the stigmatal row produces one light and one dark 

 one which point exactly in the opposite direction. Numerous other stifl.' haii-s spring directly from 

 the skin , especially below ; tlie subventral thoracic tubercles are conspicuous ; and there is a faint lon- 

 gitudal ventral band. The front edge of tlie flrst joint is bright sulphur-yellow, with a soft retractile 

 band of slate color between it and the head. 



■The cocoon (Fig. 53) is formed of 

 strong silk which when unwound has 

 a glossy fibre. It is oval and closed 

 at both ends, dense and generall}' fas- 

 tened to a leaf or leaves, with which it 

 falls to the ground, though sometimes 

 it is fastened to twigs and therefore re- 

 mains exposed during the winter, to 



