160 CERATOCAMPA IMPERIALIS. 
four to six inches, the female considerably larger 
than the male. 
The caterpillar, which is well figured by Abbot 
and Smith (vol. ii. pi. 55), varies very much in 
colour, being sometimes, as these authors express it, 
tawny like a negro, at other times orange and 
tawny, and occasionally green. It has two short 
rugose horns on each of the second and third seg- 
ments, and some minute sharp points on the others, 
from which pretty dense tufts of long rigid hairs 
arise. There is a small yellow spot, surrounded 
with a black ring, on the side of all the segments, 
except the three immediately behind the head. It 
feeds on the plane-tree ( Platanus occidentalism Linn.), 
likewise on the oak, liquid-amber, and pine. The 
species breeds twice a-year, in June and September. 
“ The caterpillar,” says Abbot, “ went into the 
ground September 16, and came out July 4th. The 
caterpillars are not common, and are the most diffi- 
cult of all to bring to perfection in confinement, as 
they will not eat in that situation ; and even if they 
change into a chrysalis, they die afterwards." 
