BOMBYCIDS. 9 
of excrement dropped by the caterpillar will enable one to search out 
its whereabouts. When found it is not an easy thing to dislodge 
him, as he has a tenacious grasp of the twig to which he clings. 
The moth is sluggish in its movements, but flies well when once 
on the wing, and may occasionally be taken about electric lights. 
Saturnia io is a familiar insect to most persons haying a shght 
acquaintance with our native lepidopteria, and like several other 
native insects belonging to this family of Bombycide is a very lovely 
creature. The predominating color of the male, which expands three 
Saturnia io. Female, 
inches, is a yellowish-buff, deeper on the lower wings, the fore wings 
having a purple-brown spot a little above the centre of the wing, 
with two wavy lines near the outer margin, and one near the base of 
the wing, of the same color. In the middle of the lower wing isa 
large bluish spot witha white centre, having a broad ring of black 
encircling it. Outside of this is a sharp black line and then a red- 
dish-purple ne which broadens out into a wide band on the inner 
margin. The body is yellow, and the antenne, which are red, are 
broad and pectinated. The female is considerably larger than the 
male. The upper wings are a deep brownish-purple crossed by 
darker bands edged with fine wavy lines of yellow. The lower 
wings are much like those of the male except that the bluish spot is 
larger in proportion and the colors generally darker. The thorax is 
purpte-brown and the abdomen reddish-brown. The antenne are 
narrow and slightly pectinated. 
The eggs of the female are laid on the leaves of a variety of trees 
—oak, willow, locust, poplar, apple, etc.,— and are deposited in a 
