Page:Jardine Naturalist's Library Exotic Moths.djvu/193

Rh referred to is yellow, with a broad dark-coloured stripe along each side, and two reddish tubercular spots on the back of each segment; head, anal segment, and legs purplish-red; each segment with a series of setose spines. We are informed by Abbot that this moth is called in America the Buck-fly, from an erroneous vulgar notion that bucks breed its caterpillar in their heads and blow them out of their nostrils. This opinion originated from the fly coming out in the rutting season, while the bucks are pursuing the does. The hunters therefore take notice of the insect, in order to know the proper season for their sport, which is later in Georgia than in Virginia, as is the appearance of these flies. They are much the most plentiful in the last mentioned country. One of the caterpillars in Virginia went into the ground the 1st July, and came out 20th October. In Georgia the same species buried itself June 14th, and the fly did not appear till December 8th, after which other individuals kept coming out from time to time till February 16th. The male appears by day, and flies very swiftly, mounting and descending. The caterpillar stings very sharply: when small, the whole brood feed together, but they disperse as they grow large.