EMPEROR -MOTH. 
]97 
The centre of each wing is ornamented with a large 
ocellus, placed on a whitish ground, and consisting 
of a large black pupil with a whitish streak and a 
yellow or grey iris, surrounded with hlack, and 
surmounted by a reddish and light blue crescent. 
On the apex of the anterior wings there is a patch of 
purple, accompanied with a black and w'hitish mark. 
The body is covered with fulvous or browm hairs, the 
hinder margin of the abdominal segments whitish. 
The caterpillfu feeds on a variety of plants, par- 
ticularly the common ling or heath ( Calluna mil- 
ffari^X blackthorn bramble, willow, &c. It is at 
first black, but ultimately becomes of a lovely green 
colour, having each of the segments cinctured by a 
black band which is adorned with a series of pink 
tubercles, each bearing a whorl of six hairs, diverg- 
ing like a star, the central one being longer than the 
others and capitate. (PI. xvii. fig. 2.) 
The insect is of frequent occurrence through- 
out the greater part of England : the moth is not 
abimdant in Scotland, hut the caterpillar and the 
empty cocoon are often observed on heaths. The 
female lays between 200 and 300 eggs, which she 
attaches by a glutinous liquid to the stem of the 
plant which is to afford nourishment to the larvas. 
They are deposited in several separate packets, 
which are placed at some distance from each other, 
probably with a view to increase the chance of some 
of them escaping the effects of accidents, as well as 
to afford a greater supply of food when the young 
are hatched. 
