414 INSECTS AT. HOME. 



mark which bears the most startlinj^ resemblance to a skull 

 and the two collar bones. The hair is so long tliat the shape 

 of the skull can be altered by pressure. The body is yellow, 

 \vi;li a longitudinal black stripe along the middle, and six 

 black transverse bands, each marking the edge of a segment. 

 Beneath, the body anfl wings are yellow, with an indistinct 

 dark band across the middle of each wing and a slightly 

 darkened edging. The antennae are very thick, covered with 

 down, and fm'nished at the tips with a sharp hook. 



In fact, the chief characteristic of this insect is hair, with 

 which the body, thorax, head, antennte, and legs are thickly 

 covered, even the vsdngs have a soft, downy aspect, which is 

 due to the structure of the scales. If some of these scales be 

 detached, and examined by means of a microscope, they will 

 be seen to be very large, and increasing in width from the base 

 to the tip, which is modified into four or five long points. 



The larva of this Moth is of enormous size, as may be seen 

 by reference to Plate XIV. Fig. 2. in which the larva is drawn 

 of its natural size. It is a very handsome caterpillar, and 

 exceedingly variable in tint, the general colour varying 

 through different shades of yellow, green, and grey. The 

 whole surface is covered with very tiny black dots, and on 

 each side are seven diagonal blue or purple stripes, edged with 

 white. Near the end of the tail is a curious horn-like ap- 

 pendage, curved downwards and then slightly recurved upwards 

 near the point. The horn, contrary to the usual fashion of such 

 horns, is very rough and covered with tubercles. 



It feeds on various plants, of which the jessamine and the 

 potato are the favourites, though it may be found in the 

 snowberry, the tea-tree, and the deadly nightshade, this plant 

 being allied to the potato. This caterpillar is invariably 

 called a locust by the country people. As both the caterpillar 

 and Moth are nocturnal feeders, although the country be 

 covered with potato-fields, and the insect be (juite plentiful, it 

 will be seen as seldom as if it were one of the rarest of species. 

 In the neighbourhood of my house there are several large 

 potato-fields, and I often have these splendid Moths brought 

 to me, so that I have been enabled to supply my friends with 

 specimens, and to watch their ways when in confinement. 



One of the most remarkable points in connection with this- 



