CH. VI.] INDIAN AND OTHER MOTHS. Ill 



cured spots, and from these issue a few long, 

 coarse, distinct hairs, with others of a smaller size 

 scattered over the body. These worms, when they 

 approach near their full size, suspend themselves 

 by their feet, as they are too heavy to crawl in 

 search of their food with their back upwards, as is 

 usual with most caterpillars. 



When these worms are ready to spin their co- 

 coons, in which they are to pass the torpid state 

 of their existence, each of them connects, by means 

 of the recent glutinous filaments of which the co- 

 coon is made, two or three leaves into an exterior 

 envelope, which serve as a basis to spin the com- 

 plete cocoon in ; besides which it is suspended, as 

 in fig. 2, from a branch of the tree in a wonderful 

 manner, by a thick solid cord, spun of the same 

 materials as the cocoon, which is of an oval form, 

 and very firm in texture. After the space of nine 

 months the chrysalis discharges from its mouth a 

 quantity of liquor, with which the upper end of the 

 cocoon is softened, so as to enable the perfect insect 

 to work its way out in a very short space of time. 



The perfect insect is very large, and measures 

 from the tip of one wing of the male to that of the 

 other, five or six, and the female from six to eight 

 inches. The wings are of a uniform yellowish 

 brown, with one round transparent spot in each of 

 the fore wings. In this state, it is said, they all 

 take flight, females as well as males ; and the ac- 

 counts given by the natives of the distance which 

 the male insects fly are truly astonishing, for it is 

 no uncommon practice among them to catch some 

 of the male moths, and put a mark on their wings 

 previous to letting them fly, the marks of different 

 districts being known, and it has been stated that 

 these insects have been caught at a distance of a 

 hundred miles and upwards. Their life, which 

 continues torn six to twelve days, is wholly taken 

 up in providing for a continuation of the species. 



