ATTACKING THE LEAVES. 



113 



The cocoon is small, round, and compact, usually fastened 

 to a limb or twig of the tree on which the larva has fed. 



The moth escapes in about ten days. It is of a dusky- 

 brown color, the front wings variegated with pale yellowish 

 brown, and crossed by a narrow, wavy, curved band of the 

 same color, edged near the outer margin with dark brown, and 

 having near the middle a light-brown spot. When its wings 

 are expanded, it measures from an inch to an inch and a 

 quarter across. It is an insect which has always hitherto 

 been rare, and is never likely to do much injury. 



FIG. 112. 



No. 49. The Saddle-back Caterpillar. 



Empretia stimulea Clemens. 



This caterpillar, which is represented in Fig. 112, a, a back 

 view, 6, a side view, is often found feeding on apple-leaves, 

 also on those of the cherry, 

 grape, raspberry, currant, 

 rose, althaa, Indian corn, and 

 sumach. It is of a reddish- 

 brown color, rounded above, 

 flattened beneath, armed 

 with prickly thorns, which 

 are longest on the fourth and 

 tenth segments, and with a 

 bright pea-green patch, some- 

 what resembling a saddle in 

 form, over the middle portion of the body, centred with a 

 broad, elliptical, reddish spot, the red spot and green patch 

 both being edged with white. The thorns with which the 

 body is armed sting like a nettle when applied to the back of 

 the hand, or any other part where the skin is tender, and the 

 parts touched swell with watery pustules, the irritation being 

 accompanied with much itching. The under part of the body 

 of the larva is flesh-colored ; there are three pairs of thoracic 

 legs, but the thick, fleshy, abdominal legs found in most other 



8 



