4OO ARTICULATES : INSECTS. 



cocoon containing about one thousand feet of silk. It is 

 a native of China. 



The Genus Attacus, as limited by Linnaeus, is the 

 prominent group of the family. It contains exceedingly 

 large and magnificent species, with large, eyed wings, 

 and antennae broadly feathered on both sides in both 

 sexes. The larvae bear tubercles tipped with bristles. 

 Recent writers refer the species to several genera. 

 A. atlas, of China, expands eight inches. 

 The Cecropia Moth, A. cecropia, Linn., expands from 

 five inches and three fourths to six inches and a half, 

 and the wings are grizzly dusky brown, with clay-col- 

 ored hind margins, and near the middle of each wing 

 there is an opaque kidney-shaped dull red spot, having 

 a white centre and a narrow black edging, and beyond 

 the spot a wavy dull red band, internally bordered with 

 white ; the fore wings are dull red next to the shoul- 

 ders, with a curved white band, and near their tips is an 

 eye-like black spot within a bluish-white crescent. This 

 magnificent moth appears in June. The caterpillar at- 

 tains the length of three inches or more, and is of a light 

 green color, and has red and yellow warts armed with 

 short bristles. The cocoon is three inches long, and 

 fastened to the side of a twig. The outer coat is wrin- 

 kled, and resembles strong brown paper, and inside of 

 Fig 297 this is loose yellowish-brown 



strong silk, surrounding an 

 inner oval cocoon, which is 

 composed of the same kind 

 of silk very closely woven. 

 The moth comes out of the 



Chrysalis of Cecropia, cocoon removed. n -\ i ,1 ,1 j 



small end, and the threads 



of silk so converge afterwards as almost to close the 

 opening. It is the largest moth in North America. This 

 species and the next are now referred to Samia. 



