THE SATURNIA MAIA. 397 



the fore wings covering the other pair, the front edge of 

 which seems formed to extend a little beyond that of the 

 fore wings in this position. The wings are thin and almost 

 transparent like crape ; they are black, and both pairs are 

 crossed by a broad yellow-white band, near the middle of 

 which, on each wing, there is a kidney-shaped black spot 

 having a central yellow-white crescent or curved line on it ; 

 the thorax is covered with black hairs on the top, pale yel- 

 low hairs on the fore part, and has two tufts of rust-red 

 hairs behind; the abdomen is black, with a few yellowish 

 hairs along the sides, and a patch of a rust-red color at 

 the extremity, in the males. The wings expand from two 

 inches and a half to three inches and one eighth. 



Saturnia Maia seems to be a very rare moth in Massachu- 

 setts ; I have never met with it alive, but have seen several 

 specimens which were taken in this State. The time of its 

 appearance here is not known to me with certainty ; but, 

 if I am rightly informed, it has been found in July and 

 the beginning of August, flying by day on the borders of 

 oak woods, or resting on the shrub oaks which cover the 

 sides of some of our high hills. Of the caterpillar I have 

 seen only one specimen, which was found, fully grown, on 

 an oak, towards the end of September ; it was destroyed, 

 however, before I had an opportunity of making a descrip- 

 tion of it. Mr. Abbot * has figured two of the caterpillars, 

 which differ from each other in color and markings. They 

 are nearly three inches long ; the head and all the feet are 

 red ; and on each of the rings there are six long branched 

 prickles. One of these caterpillars is represented of a dusky 

 brown color mingled with yellow, with yellow warts from 

 which the prickles arise. The other is yellow, with red 

 warts, and two black stripes along the back. Mr. Abbot 

 states that these caterpillars, while small, feed together in 

 company, but disperse as they grow large ; they eat the 

 leaves of various kinds of oaks ; sting very sharply when 



* Insects of Georgia, p. 99, pi. 50. 



