PHALENA. 



with a pointed extremity, and transforms 

 itself into a large short chrysalis, out of 

 which emerges the moth. See Plate IV- 

 Entomology, fig. 1. 



P. peronia, minor Peacock moth, is a 

 native of England, and is commonly called 

 the emperor moth. 



Of the bombyces we must notice the P. 

 caja, or great tiger-moth, which is one of 

 the largest English moths, and is of a fine 

 cream colour, with chocolate-brown bars 

 and spots ; the lower wings reel, with 

 black spots ; the thorax chocolate brown, 

 with a red collar round the neck, and the 

 body red, with black bars. The caterpil- 

 lar is of a deep brown, with white specks, 

 very hairy, and feeds on various plants. 



P. vinula, of England, is remarkable 

 for elegance of appearance without gaiety 

 of colour, being- a middle-sized white 

 moth, variegated with numerous small * 

 black streaks and specks : the thorax 

 and abdomen are extremely downy, and 

 the body is marked by transverse black 

 bars. The caterpillar of this moth is far 

 more brilliant in its appearance than the 

 complete animal ; it is of considerable 

 size, measuring above two inches in length, 

 and is of a most beautiful green colour, 

 with the back of a dull purple, freckled 

 with very numerous deeper streaks in a 

 longitudinal direction : this purple of the 

 back is separated from the green on the 

 sides by a pair of milk-white stripes, 

 which, commencingfrom thehead, run up- 

 wards to the top of the back ; that part be- 

 ing eleveated considerably above the rest 

 into a pointed process ; and from thence 

 are continued along the sides to the tail : 

 the face is flat and subtriangular, yellow- 

 ish, surrounded first by a black, and then 

 by a red border; and is distinguished by 

 two deep black eyes or spots on each side 

 the upper part : from the tail, which is 

 extended into two long, roughened, sharp- 

 pointed, tubular processes, proceed on 

 the least irritation, two long, red, flexible 

 tentacula, the animal seeming to exert 

 them as if for the purpose of terrifying 

 its disturbers ; lifting up the fore-part of 

 the body at the same time, in a menacing 

 attitude, and presenting a highly gro- 

 tesque appearance : it also possesses the 

 power of suddenly ejecting from its 

 mouth, to a considerable distance, an acri- 

 monious reddish fluid, which it uses as a 

 further defence, and which produces con- 

 siderable irritation, if it happens to be 

 thrown into the eyes of the spectator. 

 This caterpillar is principally seen on 

 willows and poplars, and when the time 

 wf its change arrives, descends to the 

 lower part of the tree, and envelopes itself 

 VOL. V. 



in a glutinous case, prepared by mois- 

 tening with its saliva the woody fibres of 

 the tree, and covering itself with them, 

 attaching the edges very closely to the 

 bark: this case, having- very much the 

 colour of the bark itself, is not very con- 

 spicuous, so that the insect generally re- 

 mains secure under its covering through- 

 out the whole winter, it being too close 

 to be penetrated by the frost, and too 

 strong to be successfully attacked by 

 birds, &c. it requires even a very sharp 

 knife, assisted by a strong hand, to force 

 it open. The chrysalis is thick, short, and 

 black, and in the month of May or June, 

 according to the warmth or coolness of 

 the season, gives birth to the moth, which, 

 immediately on emerging from the upper 

 part of the chrysalis, discharges a quanti- 

 ty of fluid sufficient to soften effectually 

 the walls of its prison, and effect a ready 

 escape. This moth, from its unusually 

 downy appearance, has obtained the po- 

 pular title of the puss moth. 



But of all the moths of the tribe I3om- 

 byx, the P. mori, or silk-worm moth, is 

 by far the most important. This is a 

 whitish moth, with a broad pale brown 

 bar across each of the upper wings. The 

 caterpillar or larva, emphatically known 

 by the title of the silkworm, is, when full 

 grown, nearly three inches long, and of a 

 yellowish grey colour : on the upper part 

 of the last joint of the body is a horn-like 

 process, as in many of the sphinges. It 

 feeds, as every one knows, on tjie leaves 

 "of the white mulberry, in defect of which 

 may be substituted the black mulberry, 

 and even, in some instances, the lettuce, 

 and a few other plants. The silkworm 

 remains in its larva state about six weeks, 

 changing its skin four times during that 

 period, and, like other caterpillars, ab- 

 staining from food for some time before 

 each change. When full grown the ani- 

 mal entirely ceases to feed, and begins to 

 form itself a loose envelopement of silken 

 fibres, in some convenient spot which it has 

 chosen fur that purpose, and afterwards 

 proceeds to enwrap itself in a much closer 

 covering, forming an oval yellow silken 

 case or bail about the size of a pigeon's 

 egg, in which it changes to a chrysalis, 

 and after lying thus inclosed for the space 

 of about fifteen days, gives birth to the 

 moth. This, however, is always carefully 

 prevented when the anirnais are rearecl 

 for the purpose of commerce, the moth 

 greatly injuring the silk of the ball by 

 discharging a quantity of coloured fluid 

 before it leaves the cell ; the silk balls 

 are therefore exposed to such a degree of 

 heat as to kill the 'inclosed chrysalides, a 

 A a 







