PHALENA. 
into a pointed process ; aiid from tlience 
are continued aloiif; the sides to the tail : 
the face is flat, and subtriansnlar, yellow- 
ish, surrounded first by a black,’ and then 
by a red border; and is distinguished by 
two deep black eyes or spots on each side 
the upper part : from the tail, which is ex- 
tended into two long, rhughened, sharp- 
pointed, tubular processes, proceed on the 
least irritation, two long, red, flexible ten- 
tacnla, the animal seeming to exert them 
as if for the purpose of terrifying its dis- 
turbers ; lifting up the fore-part of the body 
at the same time, in a menacing attitude, 
and presenting a highly grotesc|ue appear- 
ance : it also possesses tlie power of sud- 
denly ejecting from its month, to a con- 
siderable distance, an acrimonious reddish 
fluid, which it uses as a further defence, 
and which produces considerable irritation, 
if it happens to be thrown into the eyes of 
the spectator. This caterpillar is princi- 
pally seen on willows and poplars, and 
when the time of its change arrives, de- 
scends to the lower part of the tree, and 
envelopes itself in a glutinous case, prepar- 
ed by moistening with its saliva the woody 
fibres of the tree, and covering itself with 
tliem, attaching the edges very closely to 
the bark ; this case, having very much the 
colour of tlie bark itself, is not very con- 
spicuous, so that the insect generally re- 
mains secure under its covering throughout 
the whole winter, it being too close to he 
penetrated by the frost, and too strong to 
be successfully attacked by biids, &c. it 
requires even a very sharp knife, assisted by 
a strong hand, to force it open. The chry- 
salis is thick, short, and black, and in the 
month of May or June, according to the 
warmth or coolness of the season, gives birth 
to the moth, which, immediately on emerg- 
ing from the upper part of the chrysalis, 
discliarges a quantity of fluid sufficient to 
soften effectually the walls of its prison, 
and effect a ready escape. This moth, 
from its unusually downy appeai'ance, has 
obtained the popular title of the puss 
moth. 
But of all the moths of the tribe Bom- 
byx, the J*. mori, or silkworm moth, 
is by far the most important. This is a 
whitish moth, with a broad pale brown bar 
across each of the upper wings, The ca- 
terpillar or larva, emphatically known by 
the title of the silkworm, is, when full 
grown, nearly three inches long, and of a 
yellowish grey colour : on the upper part 
of the last joint of the body is a horn-like 
process, as in many of the sphinges. It 
feeds, as every one knows, on the leaves of 
the white mulberry, in defect of which 
may be substituted the black mulberry, 
and even, in some instances the lettuce, 
and a few other plants. The silkworm re- 
mains in its larva state about six weeks, 
ehangiug its skin four times during that pe- 
riod, and, like other caterpillars, abstaining 
from fqod for some time before each change. 
When full grown the animal entirely ceases 
to feed, and begins to form itself a loose 
envelopement of silken fibres in .some con- 
venient spot which it has chosen for that 
purpose, and afterwards proceeds to en- 
wrap itself in a much closer covering, form- 
ing an oval yellow silken case or ball about 
the size of a pigeon’s egg, in which it 
changes to a chrysalis, and after lying thus 
inclosed for the space of about fifteen 
daj's, gives birth to the moth. This, how- 
ever, is always carefidly prevented when 
the animals are reared for the pui’pose of 
commerce, the moth greatly injuring the 
silk of the ball by discharging a quantity of 
coloured fluid before it leaves the cell ; the 
silk balls are therefore exposed to such a 
degree of heat as to kill the inclosed chry- 
salides, a tew only being saved for the 
breed of the following year. The moth, 
when hatched, is a very short-lived animal, 
breeding soon after its exclusion, and when 
the females have laid (heir eggs, they, as well 
as the males, survive but a very sliort time. 
As an example of the Geometrse, we 
may adduco a very elegant moth, often 
seen towards the middle of summer on 
the elder, and called P. sambucaria; it 
is moderately large, of a pale sulphur co- 
lour, with angular wings, marked by a nar- 
row transverse brown line or streak. It 
proceeds from a green caterpillar, which, 
like those of the rest of this section, walks 
in a peculiar manner, viz. by raising up the 
body at each progressive movement into 
the form of an arch or loop, the extremities 
nearly approaching each other. It changes 
in May and June into a black clnysalis, out 
of which in June or July, proceeds the 
moth. 
The division called Tineae comprehends 
tliose moths which are, in general, of a 
small size, though often of very elegant co- 
lours. Of this tribe is the P. padella ; it is 
of a pearly white colour, with very numer- 
ous black spots : its caterpillar is gregarious, 
appearing in great quantities on various 
sorts of fruit trees during the decline of 
summer, and- committing great ravages on 
