THE VIRGINIA ERMINE-MOTH. 349 



The largest of the American Aretians is the Scribonia, or 

 great white leopard-moth, which varies in expansion from 

 two and a half to three and a half inches, the females being 

 invariably much larger than the males. It is of a white color; 

 the fore wings and thorax are ornamented with many small 

 oval black rings, the hind wings are more or less spotted 

 with black ; and the abdomen is yellow, with rows of large 

 blue-black spots on the back and sides. 



The caterpillar, as represented by Mr. Abbot,* is the 

 counterpart of that of the Hebe of Europe, being chestnut- 

 brown with transverse red bands between the rings, and is 

 clothed with clusters of dark brown hairs. It is said to 

 eat the leaves of the wild sunflower and of various other 

 plants. It has been confidently reported to me that the 

 great leopard-moth has been seen in Brookline ; but it must 

 be very rare here, for I have never heard of its being taken 

 in any part of New England. Specimens of this fine insect 

 would be a very acceptable addition to any collection of such 

 objects. 



Of all the hairy caterpillars frequenting our gardens, there 

 are none so common and troublesome as that which I have 

 called the yellow- 

 bear (Fig. 167). ^*''°^' 

 Like most of its 

 genus, it is a very 

 general feeder, de- 

 vouring almost all 

 kinds of herbaceous plants with equal relish, from the broad- 

 leaved plantain at the door-side, the peas, beans, and even 

 the flowers of the garden, and the corn and coarse grasses 

 of the fields, to the leaves of the vine, the currant, and the 

 gooseberry, which it does not refuse when pressed by hunger. 

 This kind of caterpillar varies very much in its colors ; it is 

 perhaps most often of a pale yellow or straw color, with a 

 black line along each side of the body, and a transverse line 



* Insects of Georgia, p. 137, pi. 69. 



