390 
LEPIDOPTEEA. 
Cocoons of the same kind are sometimes found suspended 
to the twigs of the wild cherry-tree, the Azalea, or swamp- 
pink, and the Cephalanthus, or hutton-bush, but not so 
often as on the sassafras-tree. Two of them, hancrino; close 
together on one twig, were once brought to me, and a male 
and a female moth Avere produced from these tAvin cocoons 
in July, the usual time for these insects to leave their AAunter 
quarters. Dmry called this kind of moth Promethea^ a 
mistake probably for Prometheus * the name of one of the 
Titans, all of Avhom Avere fabled to be of gigantic size. The 
color of Attacas Promethea differs accordino; to the sex. 
The male (Fig. 186) is of a deep smoky browm color on the 
Fig. 186. 
upper side, and the female (Fig. 187) light reddish brown ; 
in both, the Avings are crossed by a AvaAy Avhitish line near 
the middle, and have a Avide clay-colored border, AAdiich is 
marked by a Avavy reddish line ; near the tips of the fore 
Avings there is an eye-like black spot Avithin a bluish-Avhite 
crescent; near the middle of each of the AAungs of the female 
there is an angular reddish-Avhite spot, edged Avith black ; 
these angular spots are visible on the under side of the Avings 
* Atlas was the brother of Prometheus, and this name, it will be recollected, 
has been given to another of the Bombyces, an immensely large moth from China. 
