THE BEE-MOTH. 459 



shut together flatly on the top of the back, slope steeply down- 

 wards at the sides, and are turned up at the end somewhat like 

 the tail of a fowl. The female is much larger than the male, and 

 much darker-colored. There are two broods of these insects in 

 the course of the year.* Some winged moths of the first brood 

 begin to appear towards the end of April or early in May — ear- 

 lier or later, according to climate and season Those of the 

 second brood are more abundant in August; but some maybe 

 found between these periods, and even much later." 



No writer with whom we are acquainted has given such an 

 exact description of the differences between the sexes, that 

 they can always be readily distinguished. The wood-cuts 

 of the moths, larvae, and cocoons, which we present to our 

 readers, were drawn from nature, by Mr. M. M. Tidd, of 

 Boston, Mass., and engraved by Mr. D. T. Smith, of the 

 same city. Mr. Tidd seems first to have 

 noticed that the snout or palpus of the fe- 

 male, projects so as to resemble a beali. 

 Fig. is9.-Femaie. while that of the male is very short. 

 While some males are larger than some females, and 

 some females much lighter-colored than 

 the average of males, and occasionally 

 some males as dark as the darkest females, 

 the peculiarity of the snout of the female is 

 ^' '~ ^' so marked, that she may always be distin- 

 guished at a glance. 



804. These insects are seldom seen on the wing, unless 

 started from their lurking places about the hives, until to- 

 wards dark. On cloudy days, however, the female may be 

 noticed endeavoring, before sunset, to gain entrance into 

 the hives. 



" If disturbed in the daytime," says Dr. Harris, " they open 

 their wings a little, and spring or glide swiftly away, so that it is 

 very difficult to seize or hold them." 



*Prof. Cook is of opinion (Guide, page 315) tliat tliere may be three broods 

 in a year and we believe lie is correct. We have seen tbem most numerous in 

 hot October lyeatligr, 



