]48 SATURNIA MYLITTA. 



too heavy to crawl in search of their food with 

 their back up, as is usual with most caterpillars, 

 but traverse the branches suspended by the feet. 

 (See Plate XV. fig. 2.) 



When the caterpillars are ready to spin the cases 

 in which they are to pass the chrysalis state, each 

 of them connects, by means of the recent glutinous 

 filament of which the case is made, two or three 

 leaves into an exterior envelope, which serves as a 

 basis to spin the complete case or cocoon in ; be- 

 sides, the case is suspended from the branch of the 

 tree in a wonderful manner by a thick, strong, con- 

 solidated cord, spun of the same material, from the 

 bowels of the animal. (This pedunculated cocoon is 

 represented on Plate XY. fig. 3.) This case is of 

 an exact oval shape and exceeding firm texture ; in 

 it the animal remains dormant and perfectly pro- 

 tected for about the space of nine months, viz. from 

 October till July, so that they make their appear- 

 ance in time for the caterpillars to come into exist- 

 ence when Providence has furnished them with the 

 greatest plenty of proper food, viz. during the 

 months of August, September, and October. When 

 the insect is prepared to make its escape and be 

 changed to its perfect state, it discharges from its 

 mouth a large quantity of liquid, with which the 

 upper end of the case is so perfectly softened as to 

 enable the moth to work its way out in a very short 

 space of time; an operation which is always per- 

 formed during the night. 



The perfect insect, according to Dr. Roxburgh, to 



