THE ATTACUS PROMETHEA. 
391 
of tlie male, but are rarely seen on their upper side ; the 
hind wings in both are rounded and not tailed. These moths 
expand from three inches and three quarters to four inches 
and a quarter. The female deposits her eggs on the twigs 
of the trees, in little clusters of five or six together, and 
these are hatched towards the end of July or early in Au¬ 
gust. The caterpillars usually come to their full size by the 
beginning of September, and then measure two inches or 
more in length, when extended, and about half an inch in 
diameter. The body of the caterpillar is very plump, and 
but very little contracted on the back between the rings. 
It is of a clear and pale bluish-green color ; the head, the 
Fig. 187. 
feet, and the tail are yellow ; there are about eight warts on 
each of the rings ; the two uppermost w*arts on the top of 
the second and of the third rings are almost cylindrical, 
much longer than the rest, and of a rich coral-red color; 
there is a long yellow wart on the top of the eleventh ring; 
all the rest of the warts are very small, and of a deep blue 
color. Before making its cocoon the caterpillar instinctively 
fastens to the branch the leaf that is to serve for a cover 
to its cocoon, so that it shall not fall olf in the autumn, and 
then proceeds to spin on the upper side of the leaf, bending 
