ATTACKING THE LEAVES. 



113 



The cocoon is small, round, and compact, usually fastened 

 to a limb or twig of the tree on which the larva has fed. 



The moth escapes in about ten days. It is of a dusky- 

 brown color, the front wings variegated with pale yellow^ish 

 brown, and crossed by a narrow, wavy, curved band of the 

 same color, edged near the outer margin with dark brown, and 

 having near the middle a light-brown spot. When its wings 

 are expanded, it measures from an inch to an inch and a 

 quarter across. It is an insect which has always hitherto 

 been rare, and is never likely to do much injury. 



Fig. 112. 



No. 49. — The Saddle-back Caterpillar. 



Empretia stimulea Clemens. 



This caterpillar, which is represented in Fig. 112, a, a back 

 view, 6, a side view, is often found feeding on apple-leaves, 

 also on those of the cherry, 

 grape, raspberry, currant, p 

 rose, althaea, Indian corn, and 

 sumach. It is of a reddish- 

 brown color, rounded above, 

 flattened beneath, armed 

 with prickly thorns, which 

 are longest on the fourtli and 

 tenth segments, and with a 

 bright pea-green patch, some- 

 what resembling a saddle in 

 form, over the middle portion of the body, centred with a 

 broad, elliptical, reddish spot, the red spot and green patch 

 both being edged with white. The thorns with which the 

 body is armed sting like a nettle when applied to the back of 

 the hand, or any other part where the skin is tender, and the 

 parts touched swell w^ith watery pustules, the irritation being 

 accompanied with much itching. The under part of the body 

 of the larva is flesh-colored ; there are three pairs of thoracic 

 legs, but the thick, fleshy, abdominal legs found in most other 



8 



