SATURNIA CYNTHIA. 143 
hatch in from ten to fifteen days, according to the 
temperature of the air. The caterpillars arrive at 
their full size, which is from two and a half to three 
inches, in the space of about one month; during 
which time they, like the caterpillars of the common 
silk- worm, cast their skin three or four times. They 
are also composed of ten segments : across the middle 
of each are several small, soft, conic-pointed tuber- 
cles ; otherwise they are smooth and delicately soft. 
The prevailing colour pale or sea green. In this 
state they are very voracious, devouring daily many 
times their own weight of food. (The full grown 
caterpillar is represented on Plate XV. fig. 1.) The 
cocoon is white or yellowish, of a very soft and 
delicate texture ; about two inches long and three 
in circumference, pointed at each end. Enveloped 
in this case the animal remains dormant from ten to 
twenty days, according to the state of the weather. 
The perfect insect issues from one end, and in that 
state exists from four to eight days, during which 
period it is wholly employed in the grand work of 
Nature, generation ; remaining perfectly contented 
in its chamber, seldom attempting to fly away. In 
this respect it differs exceedingly from the Bughy 
and Jarroo moths. 
The caterpillars, like the common silk- worm, are 
reared in a domestic state, and entirely fed on the 
leaves of the Palma Christi plant {Recinus com- 
munis). The filament of the cocoon is so exoeeii- 
ingly delicate as to render it impracticable to wmd 
off the silk; it is therefore spun like cotton, ''ine 
