They also emerge in cities under any
tree on which their caterpillars feed. Once late in May, in the
corner of a lichen-covered, old snake fence beside the Wabash on
the Shimp farm, I made a series of studies of the home life of a pair
of ground sparrows. They had chosen for a location a slight
depression covered with a rank growth of meadow grass. Overhead
wild plum and thorn in full bloom lay white-sheeted against the
blue sky; red bud spread its purple haze, and at a curve, the
breast of the river gleamed white as ever woman's; while underfoot
the grass was obscured with masses of wild flowers.
An unusually fine cluster of white violets attracted me as I
worked around the birds, so on packing at the close of the day I
lifted the plant to carry home for my wild flower bed. Below a
few inches of rotting leaves and black mould I found a lively
pupa of the Yellow Emperor.
So these moths emerge and deposit their eggs in the swamps,
forests, beside the river and wherever the trees on which they
feed grow.
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