10 



P L A 1 E LXXVI. 



On the communication of Mr. Jones, of Chelfea, we prefume thai 

 this Infeft was formerly known among the Englifti Collectors, and 

 received from them the appellation Fejloon Moth, but it muft have been 

 extremely rare even at that time, as it does not appear in Harris's Lift 

 of Eno-lifh Moths, nor has a fingle fpecimen, or its remains, been 

 found among the old Collections, which have been handed down to 

 the Entomologifts of the prefent day. 



On the j 6th of Auguft, 1793, I fhook the Caterpillar from one of 

 the high branches of an oak-tree, in Darent wood, Kent; it remained 

 motionlefs for fome time when in the net, and I concluded that it might 

 have fuftained an injury by its fall; but I foon after difcovered that it 

 was naturally a fluggifli, inactive creature, and had received no da- 

 mage ; it remained feveral days in the Caterpillar ftate, but as it was 

 almoft ready to change into Chryfalis, I had only an opportunity cf 

 being convinced that oak was its proper food. 



This Caterpillar is a moft fingular creature ; at one time it would 

 flatten itfelf, and be confiderably extended in breadth, or length ; at 

 another time it would gather itfelf up like an hedge-hog, or become 

 almoft round, and in a few minutes after it would be flat again; and 

 frequently the orange colour on the back would be obliterated; fome- 

 times it fo nearly refembled the Caterpillars of feveral of the Papilio 

 tribe, that I fufpeded it to be one of the Hair-Jlreak Butterflies, or 

 rather the Caterpillar of a new fpecies. On the 23d of Auguft it 

 began to fpin, and in a fhort time after its cafe was completed. 



The cafe in which it paffed to the Pupa ftate, was very firmly con- 

 structed, and precluded an opportunity of obfervins; the different 

 fymptoms of change, which would otherwife have been vifible This 

 cafe, which was exadly in the form of an egg, was at nrft of a pale 

 flefh colour, but in the courle of a few days it had heightened to a 

 very fine fanguineous, and after to a fcarlet, or nearly vermilion co- 

 our; thrs colour it retained for feveral months, but as the time for 

 the emancipation of the Moth within approached, the brightnefs of 



red 



