DORYCAMPA REGALIS. 
163 
When the caterpillar raises its head, and draws 
the anterior segments together, as it is in the habit of 
doingwhen disturbed, it has averyformidable appear- 
ance, the spines forming a kind of crest over its head. 
At the same time it shakes its head from side to 
side as if preparing to make an attack on its as- 
sailant. By the natives of Virginia it is called the 
Hickory Homed Devil, and Abbot states that they 
are so afraid of it that he never saw one who would 
venture to handle it, people in general dreading it 
as much as a rattle-snake. “ Nevertheless,” he adds, 
“ it is perfectly harmless, neither stinging by its 
horns nor any other part. When I have handled 
this animal in the presence of the negroes, to con- 
vince them it was innocent, they would reply that 
it could not sting me, but would them.” 
When the caterpillar changes its last skin, the 
horns fall off along with it. It feeds on Persim- 
mon ( Diospyros Virginiana , Linn.), walnut, hic- 
kory, and sumach. Abbot found one to enter the 
ground on the 16th June, and the fly came out on 
the 27th July; another on the 5th August, and 
remained in the chrysalis till May 9tli. The chry- 
salis is comparatively short and thick, with a small 
mucro at the tail, and the edges of the segments 
without spinuke ; in these respects differing much 
from the chrysalis of C. imperialism which is rather 
narrow' and elongated, the tail of considerable length 
and bifid at the extremity, and the edges of the 
segments armed with a regular series of spines. 
