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Narrow antennae and abdominal formation marked the big one a female, while broader antlers and the clearly outlined `claspers' proved the smaller ones males. A little sphagnum moss, that was dampened slightly every few days, was kept around them.
The male Regalis has the longest, most gracefully 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.
The colour darkened hourly, the feet and claspers seemed to draw inside, and one morning on going to look there were some greenish brown pupae. They shone as if freshly varnished, as indeed they were, for the substance provided to facilitate the emergence of the pupae from the caterpillar skins dries in a coating, that helps to harden the cases and protect them.
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.
The best smellers would overcome all that were inferior to them in this respect, unless the latter had other advantages, such as more powerful chelae, to oppose to them. The best claspers would overcome all less strongly armed champions, unless these opposed to them some other advantage, such as sharper senses.
It will also be noticed that the three segments or "joints" nearest the head bear a pair of legs each; these are the real feet, or claspers, as they are sometimes termed, which develop into the feet of the future butterfly. There are four pairs of false feet or suckers, which adhere to the ground by suction, and which disappear in the butterfly.
There was method in his gnawing. He fixed his claspers firmly to the stalk, then stretched his head as far as he could reach, and nibbled the leaf edge backwards. When his feet reached his claspers, he commenced afresh. Before the winter he had only fed at night; now he fed from sunrise to sunset, and at night as well. He fattened steadily, and in proportion, growing more slug-like every day.
We have now arrived at the great sub-kingdom of the Vertebrata, and will commence with the lowest class, that of fishes. Besides the claspers, the males of many rays have clusters of strong sharp spines on their heads, and several rows along "the upper outer surface of their pectoral fins." These are present in the males of some species, which have other parts of their bodies smooth.
This last piece, in flight, falls down almost to the ankles, where the two claspers lapping under each leg within-side, hold it very fast; and then also the short apron is drawn up by-the strength of the ribs in it, between the thighs forward, and covers the pudenda and groin as far as the rim of the belly.
Before I finish with C. imperialis, I must mention a peculiar fact. During the first stage, and, I think, also during the second, several larvae disappeared without leaving any traces. I also saw two smaller larvae held tight by the hind claspers of two larger ones. The larvae thus held and pressed were perfectly dead when I observed them, and I removed them.
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