LETTERS FROM ALABAMA. 
293 
shade^ varied^ however^ now with gorgeous tints, 
like the rays that stream through the painted window 
of some old cathedral, hy the dying foliage. Be- 
neath these trees the eye of an entomologist is often 
caught by droppings which indicate caterpillars of 
large size feeding on the leaves above ; and thus I 
have been guided to the discovery of some fine 
species : while, not uncommonly, we discern far up 
in the trees the great cocoons of some of the Emperor 
Moths [Saturnia^ Ceratocampaj &c.) suspended from 
the twigs by a narrow ribbon of strong silk, and 
'rocking in the breeze. The cocoon of the Swallow- 
tailed Emperor [8, lu'na)^ for instance, is affixed to 
the liquidambar or sweet-gum; that of the Corn 
Emperor {8. lo) to the oak, and that of the great - 
Yellow Elephant Moth ((7. imperatoria) to the 
sycamore. The caterpillars of some of these moths 
are of magnificent dimensions, and often richly 
coloured. A few weeks ago one of my little lads 
came to tell me of one which he had just found, 
and which he described as unusually gigantic— too 
big, in fact, to be touched. On my coming to the 
spot, the prize was non inventus^ having crawled 
away. On my asking the lad why he had not put 
the caterpillar into a collecting canister which he 
had, he exclaimed with unfeigned astonishment, 
Law, sir ! he would’nt begin to go in ! ” meaning, 
not to ascribe any reluctance on the part of the 
insect to the change of residence, but that the 
orifice of the box was not wide enough to receive 
even the smallest extremity of its body. 
