Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-06-05


This IL Tie general form Of thu laxvs Of al
basser1iss and noshs- BassefAsss have
thread hks ansennse, knobbed q the end.
The fore vinss Of some and al TIE vinss
Of the ueatef nunhef, close together over
the back. when q rest. IKE ths lsaves Of .
book. They have svo spufs on the hind
legs sad ay by day only. Our largest ns-
tive species Of this family 10 The Tufnus.
sxpsnding from four and one-haf to i've
inches, Prevailing color. yellow, With
broad black margins on which 10 row Of
yellow sposs- The fore wings heve four
shofs black bands running from thsir front
edge. vArying in length, the longest closest
70 the body. TIE hind wings af the middle
Of their lowest curve extend into tails and
ara ornamsnsed With Al grange spot 1t the
lower inner angle. The caterpillar OK this
butterfly lives on the leaves osspple and
white cherry trees. folding Them up and
tying them si.h siikea fiber. Fully grown
ID measures from tvo to two and one half
inches in length. Ii 10 Green above with
little blue dots in rows. aysllow sye-spot
With black centre on each side Ut the third
segment; the head legs aod underneath the
body are pink. Ga the front edge Of the
first segment 10 raised yellow fold. from
which when iffitTed the lafvs protudes q
salmon colnred. heshy. fofked organ, emit
ting disagreeable mu.ky .meil, which is
its means Of defense against ito enemies.
When about to change to . ehryssis-gen-
orally eariy in August-she color grows
gradually darker. the sides nearly black.
Selecting . suitable spot il spins . little
web Of silk into which the hind legs are
securely dxed then. having spun loop :,
support ito body in the middle. it casts its
lxrvAl akin, emerging - 9 chrysalis.
In the family Of moths, the antenna are
not knob5ed 1t the end. or thickened in the
middle but taper from the base to the tx
rremiry. are either naked like b,issles OF
fea.hefed on each side; the wigs are cor
fined together by bris.les running in oppo-
site directions and setting - h 'oks, the FRS.
pair of wings covering the others. and clos
ing b ,riz ort Ally on the back like the leaves
Of . fan. These insects fig by night most
ly.
Prominent among our moths for beauty
10 the Attacus Lunar. The wings Of this
insect are Of delicate light greco color; the
hinder angle Of the pos.erior wings is pro
fongsd to form . tail to each. Of sbou, an
inch and q half or more in length. There
is . broad. pufple-b,ewn stripe extendir &
from tip to tip of the wings across the tho
rsx., There 10 one eye-spot on each wing,
transparent in the centre. encircled by g
of white, red. yellow and black; the hinc-
er borders of the wings are more or lee,
edged and scalloped with purple-brown,
the body covered with 6 whitish fur, the an-
tenra yellow, the legs purplish-brown and
the wings x banding from four and three
fourhs to five and one-half inches. The
caterpillar Of this moth lives on the
walnut and hickory. II is Of a pale, clear.
blush green. q yellow stripe on esch side Of
the body. and the back is mar Ike between the
rings by transverse lines of yellow. On each
segment are about six minute pesr!y warts
tinged with pink, and having some times .
few fins hairs at the extremity Of the body
are three brown spots edged wi tn yellow.
When about to spin its cocoon it draws to
gether loosely two or three leaves Of the
tree and within spins an oval, strong cocoon,
about one and three-fourths inches long !;
immediately changing to 8 chfysAlis the
cocoon falls with the leaves and the moth
escapes in June.
A caterpillar closely resembling this one in
size and color, withou. the yellow markings,
having the pearly warts logged With orange
or purple and on the two lowermost on the
side Of each ring is an oblique white line !;
the head and feet dark brown, the terminal
segment being strongly marked with a
purplish-brown rim in tie shape Of the let
tsr V; hey make their cocoons upon the
tree in the same manner Notwithstanding
the resemblance between the larvs, the
moth is very di ferent. The bind wings
are rounded instead OF being tailed; the
moth is of an Indisn-yellow clouded with
black and brown in tie middle Of the
wings, on each of which is a transparent
eye.spat divided by slender fament and
encirclsd by yellow ard black rings, be-
fore, and joining 10 tie eye-spot Of thu
lind wings is large brown band edged
with reddish white, AID near the base Of
the fore wings are two red lines edged
with white. IL expands from five to FIX
inches. and ia known as the Polyphemus.
A still larger insect sxps nding from Fl We
and three-fourits to six and one-half
Nc iscs, 10 the A. icus Sscropa. The wings
are also rounded; the prevailing color OF
the moth is a ric5 reddish brown with the
ether wing margins Of clay color; near the
riddle of each wing ia sn Opaque kidney
shaped lndisn-red spot with white centre
and black edge. and beyond the spot a
wsvy, dull red band bordered internally
With white. The fore wings next to the
shoulders are strongly marked with a
curved white band and near the tips of the
same is an eye like black spot with BLUSH
white crescent, the upper side of the body
and The legs are dull r9d the fore part Of
the thorax and hinder edges of the wings of
the abdomen are white; the belly is check
cd rp6 rhf 80.
appearance during the month Of June. 1t
is By far the handsomest Of all our native
icsects.
The caterpillar lie q vesy general feeder
and when mstured is three or more inches
in length ard thicker than mans thumb.
l, Is then Of fine, clean, light-green on
ne top of he second ring are two coral red
warts. having upon them sbou. fourteen
short black bristlsH The two warts on the
top of the third es-rs are like those on the
secosd but rst' = larger. On the top of
the seven following rings there are two
very long tgg-shsped yellow warts with
bristles at The end, and single wart of
larger size on The eleventh ring; en- each
side Of The body are two longitudinal rows
of long light biue warts, also bristled,
and an additional short row below them
along the first five rings. The cocoon
is fastened to the side of u
t~ig. Its average Length is threa
riches and about one inch in diameter !;
its shape is oblong, pointed st upper the
end; it is double. its on.er coat being
sriokled and resembling strong brown paper
in texture and color; the inner of fine
strong tan colored silk. The insect remsins
in the chrj sails through the winter, the
cocoon beiog strongly fastened TO the twis.
The moth is provided with fluid which it
elects from its mouth for the purpose Of
softening the threads Of the cocoon whe n
about TO emerge. Fret through The open
lug At the smaller end Of the cocoon 10
thrust the front psir Of bushy looking legs,
the sharp claws Of which fasten on to the
outside structure then, with an effort the
head is drawn forward, displaying the
IL atber like antspr a. Dext the thorax, on
which are bore the other two pairs Of legs,
is liberated and finally the escape is compiet-
ed by the withdrawal of the abdomen. This
mo,h, like all of the butterfly and moth
Tribe, on first emerging from the chrysalis
is queer looking creature; the body,
moist and limp the wings diminutive and
hsr ging poverless. The insect nov seeks
sunny location and in short time il
undergoes q marvellous growth, attainirg
full sjzs in from one-half an hour to an
hour.
This essay was illustrated by Mr.. Mooney
with numerous sketches on the black DO ird,
very accurate aud truthful in outline, and
specimens Of several of the insects de-
scrioed we're also on exhibition. AT its
close 3 vote Of thanks was extended the
author for his Interesting and valuable
papar