curved abdomen and the most prominent claspers of any moth I ever
examined; but the antennae are so delicate and closely pressed
against the face most of the time as to be concealed until
especially examined. I have noticed that among the moths bearing
large, outstanding antennae, the claspers are less prominent than
with those having small, inconspicuous head parts. A fine pair of
antennae, carried forward as by a big, fully developed Cecropia,
are as ornamental to the moth as splendidly branching antlers are
to the head of a deer.

The female now begins egg placing. This requires time, as one of
these big night moths deposits from three hundred and fifty to
over six hundred eggs. These lie in embryonic state in the abdomen
of the female. At her maturity they ripen rapidly. When they
are ready to deposit, she is forced to place them whether she has
mated or not. In case a mate has found her, a small pouch near
the end of her abdomen is filled with a fluid that touches each
egg in passing and renders it fertile. The eggs differ with species
and are placed according to family characteristics. They may be
pure white, pearl-coloured, grey, greenish, or yellow. There are
round, flat, and oblong eggs. These are placed differently in
freedom and captivity. A moth in a natural location glues her eggs,
often one at a time, on the under or upper side of leaves. Sometimes
she dots several in a row, or again makes a number of rows, like a
little beaded mat. One authority I have consulted states that
"The eggs are always laid by the female in a state of freedom upon
the food-plant which is most congenial to the larvae." This has not
'always' been the case in my experience. I have found eggs on
stone walls, boards, fences, outbuildings, and on the bark of dead
trees and stumps as well as living, even on the ground. This also,