12 The Humming Bird. 



left, half-a-dozen cases, containing cocoons of various large 

 Silk-Moths, belonging to the family Saturnidae, are seen. 

 Each case has a preserved specimen of the perfect insect 

 placed over it for the enlightenment of those not versed in 

 the science of entomology. By means of these, we see that 

 the first case contains cocoons of the Indian Moon-Moth 

 (Actias selene) , a magnificent insect with wings of a beautiful 

 green colour, each wing having a crescent-shaped mark in its 

 centre, whence the name, Moon-Moth ; the hind pair, more- 

 over, are elongated into tails, which add greatly to the 

 appearance of the insect. Two other cases contain cocoons 

 of Attacus atlas, the Great Atlas Moth, also a native of India, 

 a veritable giant among insects, the wings of which often 

 attain a width of twelve inches or more. Perny's Silk-Moth 

 (Antherea pernyi) , is interesting on account of the facility 

 with which the larv;£ can be reared in this country. These 

 latter are black when first hatched, afterwards changing to 

 bright-green, with rows of yellow tubercles down the back 

 and sides. These thrive best on oak leaves in England, but 

 will also feed on hawthorn and several other trees. 



Another species, somewhat larger than the preceding, is 

 the Tusseh Silk-Moth (A. Mylitta) , some cocoons of which 

 are in another case. These cocoons are remarkable for their 

 peculiar oval shape, and the long, leathery stalks with which 

 they are attached to the food-plant. They are wonderfully 

 tough, and how the moth can make its way out on emerging 

 from the pupa case is a puzzle to the uninitiated. This 

 process is effected as follows :■ — The moth, on issuing from 

 the pupa-case, exudes a brown liquid, which softens the top 

 of the cocoon, enabling the insect to break the threads and 

 work its way out. 



The visitor now comes to a cage containing a pretty bird 

 from East Africa, the Madagascar Pratincole (Glareola 

 ocularis) ; it is light-brown in colour, with black wings, dark 

 head, and a white streak from the base of the bill across the 

 cheeks. It is said that these birds are great locust eaters, 

 following in flocks the swarms of these insects, and destroying 

 great numbers of the pests, and that they are protected by 

 the natives for this reason. Next to this interesting bird is a 

 tank in which are two Electric Eels (Gymnotus asterias) , from 

 South America. They are ugly brutes, with small eyes and 

 sluggish movements. Visitors are allowed to receive electric 

 shocks from these living batteries on payment of a fee of a 



