THE ATTACUS PROMETHEA. 



391 



of the male, but are rarely seen on their upper side ; the 

 hind wings in both are rounded and not tailed. These moths 

 expand from three inches and three quarters to four inches 

 and a quarter. The female deposits her eggs on the twigs 

 of the trees, in little clusters of five or six together, and 

 these are hatched towards the end of July or early in Au- 

 gust. The caterpillars usually come to their full size by the 

 beginning of September, and then measure two inches or 

 more in length, when extended, and about half an inch in 

 diameter. The body of the caterpillar is very plump, and 

 but very little contracted on the back between the rings. 

 It is of a clear and pale bluish-green color ; the head, the 



Fig. 187. 



feet, and the tail are yellow ; there are about eight warts on 

 each of the rings ; the two uppermost warts on the top of 

 the second and of the third rings are almost cylindrical, 

 much longer than the rest, and of a rich coral-red color ; 

 there is a long yellow wart on the top of the eleventh ring ; 

 all the rest of the warts are very small, and of a deep blue 

 color. Before making its cocoon the caterpillar instinctively 

 fastens to the branch the leaf that is to serve for a cover 

 to its cocoon, so that it shall not fall off in the autumn, and 

 then proceeds to spin on the upper side of the leaf, bending 



