. The American entomologist. Entomology. THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 231 like the up-aad-down movement of the Sphinx tribe of caterpillars, gives it a still more menac- ing appearance; yet it is entirely harmless and cannot possibly hurt any one, for as we have proved by experiment, the prick of its spines has no poisonous effect whatever. Mr. Abbot tells us that this caterpillar is called in Virginia the Hickory Horned Devil, and that when disturbed it draws up its head, shaking or striking it froin side to side; which attitude gives it so formid- able an aspect, that no one, he aiiirms, will
. The American entomologist. Entomology. THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 231 like the up-aad-down movement of the Sphinx tribe of caterpillars, gives it a still more menac- ing appearance; yet it is entirely harmless and cannot possibly hurt any one, for as we have proved by experiment, the prick of its spines has no poisonous effect whatever. Mr. Abbot tells us that this caterpillar is called in Virginia the Hickory Horned Devil, and that when disturbed it draws up its head, shaking or striking it froin side to side; which attitude gives it so formid- able an aspect, that no one, he aiiirms, will ven- ture to handle it, people in general dreading it as much as a rattle-snake. When to convince the negroes that it was harmless he himself took hold of this animal in their presence, they used to reply that it could not sting him but would them.* How many moi-e intelligent white folks are there who have the same superstitious fear of this caterpillar! It is solitary in its habits. and after accjuiring its growth, descends from the tree on which it lived and enters into the ground. Here it forms an oval chamber, and within five days works off its prickly skin and becomes a chrysalis. The chrysalis is pitchy-black, short, thick, and with protuber- ances and ridges as in the figure. It remains in this last state through the fall, winter and spring months, and the moth escapes from it at the time above specified, leaving a strong thick shell behind, which read- ily retains its proper form. The male moth is readily distinguished from the female by his smaller body, but more especially by his antennie being larger, and strongly pectinate or tooth- ed along their basal half, while hers are impectinate and of a uniform thickness throughout. Both the chrysalis and the moth have a char- acteristic strong odor which cannot easily be described for the lack of comparison, though it reminds us forcibly of the peculiar odor of the English Broad Beau. Though a great feeder, this insect is a
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1860, booksubjectentomology, bookyear1
