








LEPIDOPTERA. 
fitions, it feeks the obfcurity of the foreft in the day, and only ventures on the wing when the fun is down. 
In Europe we vifit its noéturnal haunts without difficulty or dread; but in hotter climates thefe are often- 
times impenetrable, or the lurking places of ferocious animals; and few will expofe themfelves to their 
attacks, to increafe the catalogue of exotic Phalznz P. 
Phalena Atlas is the firft {pecies we have to notice. It is the largeft of the moth tribe 4, and is, in- 
deed, a gigantic creature. The fpecies is common, but not peculiar to China, being found in other parts 
of Afia, and in America. The influence of climate is eafily traced in the varieties from different countries ; 
that from Surinam is the largeft, and of the deepeft colours. The Chinefe kind is the next in fize; the 
colours incline to orange, and the anterior wings are more falcated or hooked at the ends. We have two 
other Afiatic varieries ftill {maller, with the wings extremely falcated. | 
The larva of Phalzna Atlas is figured by MZ. Merian, in the Infecta Surinamenfia, plate 52: it is about 
four inches in length, green, with a yellow ftripe difpofed longitudinally. Upon each fegment are four 
diftin& round tubercles of a coral-like orange colour, which are furrounded with very delicate hairs. The 
pupa is large, and is inclofed in a web of an ochre colour. The filk of this web is of a ftrong texture, 
and it has been imagined, if woven, would be fuperior in durability to that of the common filk worm. 
Seba has alfo reprefented the larva at fig. 1. plate 57. vol. 4. Thefaurus Nature. It is nearly fix inches 
in length, and bulky in proportion ; the Phalzena is alfo larger than that figured by Merian, which is a 
P The far greater number of Phalenz can only be taken in the woods at night. This is termed mothing by collectors. The 
moths begin to ftir about twilight, and when almoft dark, commence their flight. The colleétor is furnifhed with a large 
gauze folding-net, in which the infeéts are caught indifcriminately, for it is impoffible to diftinguifh one fpecies from another, 
and often is fo dark, that the objeét itfelf can barely be difcerned. Different fpecies have their favourite haunts, fome the 
lanes, and fkirts of woods, but many of them prefer the open breaks in the moft retired places. As it would be unfafe, or im- 
poffible, to penetrate the woods in many countries, it it better to colleét the larva, or caterpillar, for thefe may be found on 
the trees in day-time, and if kept in little gauze cages, and carefully fed, will change into chryfalis, and produce the fly. 
This is certainly tedious, and few travellers will divert their attention from more important obfervations; but were they to 
appropriate their leifure to this branch of fcience, they would materially improve entomology. Mr. Abbot has inveftigated a 
{mall diftri€t of Georgia, in North America, in this manner, and our cabinet is indebted to his labours for feveral hundred 
{pecies, altogether new in Europe. The reader may eftimate the importance of thefe difcoveries, by referring to the two 
expenfive volumes of North American Infeéts, lately publifhed; and reflecting, that the originals of all the {pecies included in 
that work, are but a {mall feleétion from thofe he has furnifhed us with. Viewing thefe as the refult of one man’s refearch, in 
an inconfiderable portion of North America, what a variety of new and fplendid kinds would be the reward of thofe, who 
fhould explore the more genial regions of Afia, Africa, and South America, with equal diligence and information ! 
We have hazarded an affertion which may feem inadmiffible, that the Phalene are infinitely more numerous than the 
Papiliones, or any other tribe of infects. Not that we poffefs more; but becaufe, in every country that has been inveftigated, 
experience juftifies fuch opinion. For inftance, in Great Britain, we have only fixty Papiliones, and by mere accident two 
or three local fpecies have lately been added; of the Phalanz we have more than 900. The fame comparative proportion is 
obferved throughout the countries of the European continent; and it is fingularly analogous, that our opinion is confirmed, 
by the recent difcoveries of Mr. Abbot in America alfo. 
q When Linnezeus defcribed it, few of the very large fpecies of Phalana were known. We have two {pecies from the interior 
of Africa, that are larger than the Chinefe var. of Atlas, and feveral others fcarcely inferior in magnitude. 



