194 



INSECT LIFE. 



cated. The fore wings also differ markedly in shape 

 from those of the female, the apex of each being 

 much more distinctly sickle-shaped. We have ob- 

 tained forty males of this 

 species in a single after- 

 noon by placing a cage 

 containing living females 

 near an open window. 

 They fly most in the lat- 

 ter part of the afternoon. 

 The larva when full-grown measures 

 two inches or more in length. It is of 

 a clear and pale bluish green color ; 

 the legs and oval shield are yellowish, 

 and the body is armed with longitudi- 

 nal rows of tubercles. The tubercles 

 are black, polished, wartlike elevations, 

 excepting two each on the second and 

 third thoracic segments, which are 

 larger and rich coral- red, and one sim- 

 ilar in size to these, but of a yellow 

 color, on the eighth abdominal seg- 

 ment. This larva feeds on the leaves 

 of a large proportion of our common 

 fruit and forest trees, but we have 

 found it most frequently on wild cher- 

 ry and ash and on lilac. The cocoons 

 can be easily collected during the win- 

 ter from these trees. The cocoon is 

 Fig. i58.-Cocoon greatly elongated, and is inclosed in a 



ci^thePromethea- ^^^^^ ^^^ petiolc of which is SeCUrcly 



fastened to the branch by a band of 

 silk extending from the cocoon (Fig. 158). At the 



