458 



NATURAL HISTORY OF ARTHROPODS. 



way out, after whicli they climb upon some oliject and allow their wings to develop 

 and harden before attempting to Hy. The ])erfeet moth expands from five to six 

 inches. The wings are of a rich ochre-yellow color, sometimes inclining to j^ale gray or 

 cream color, and sometimes they are almost brown. A whitish band margined with 

 red crosses the base of the wing, and a stripe of pale purplish white, bordered within 

 with one of brown, crosses the wings towards the outer margin ; and near the middle of 

 each wing is a transparent eye-spot with a slender line across the centre. Those on the 

 fore wings are the largest, and nearly round, margined with yellow, and edged outside 

 with black. Those on the hind wings are margined with yellow, with a line of black, 

 edged with blue above, and the whole set in a large, oval patch of rieli Ijrownish black. 





57G. — Artlas luna, luna uiotb. 



The luna moth, Actias luna, is unrivalled for loveliness and beauty by any in its 

 tribe. The wings expand about five inches, and are of a delicate light-green color, the 

 hinder ones terminating in a tail an inch and a half or more in length. All the wings 

 are edged with pale ochre. Ahmg the front edge of the fore wings runs a broad pur- 

 plish stripe Avhich extends across the thorax. There is an eye-spot on the end of the 

 cell of each wing, with a transj)arent, elliptical centre and encircled by rings of white, 

 yellow, blue, and black. The l)ody is white, with the exception of the brown stripe 

 across the thorax. 



The eggs are smooth, rounded and somewhat flattened, of a clark-brown or choco- 

 late color, and hatch in about twelve days. The young caterpillars are black with 

 yellowish sjjots on the segments, and numerous yellow hairs. They feed on hickory, 



