FOREST LIFE. I87 



Through myriad rifts slanted, 



Leaf and bole thickly sprinkles 



With flickering gold ; 



There, in warm August gloaming, 



With quick, silent brightenings, 



From meadow-lands roaming. 



The firefly twinkles 



His fitful heat-lightnings. — Lowell. 



THE LARGER LEAF-EATING CATERPILLARS. 



The Giant Silkworms. 



The largest of the leaf-eating insects found on our 

 forest trees are the giant silkworms. There are 

 several species of these, and some of them can be 

 found in almost any of the inhabited portions of our 

 country. 



These larvas frequently attract attention on ac- 

 count of their large size, and the adults are favorites 

 with young collectors, being the most showy of 

 moths. 



It is easy to rear these insects, beginning with 

 either eggs, larvs, or pupas. The following general 

 directions for breeding will apply to any of the 

 species : — 



Eggs of the Giant Silkworms. — The eggs of the 

 giant silkworm moths, being of large size, are fre- 

 quently found attached to leaves of the trees upon 

 which the larvas feed, but they are more often ob- 

 tained from moths kept in confinement. When a 

 female moth is captured it is usually only necessary 

 to place her in a breeding cage, and keep her alive 

 for a few days, in order to obtain fertile eggs. The 

 females of this family of moths can be recognized by 



