lit Canadian mutotttulojjt^t. 



Vol. XXXL LONDON, MAY, 1899. No. 5. 



OBSERVATIONS UPON SPILOSOMA CONGRUA, WALKER. 



BY THE REV. THOMAS W. FVLES, SOUTH QUEBEC. 



On the 29th of June, 1897, I found, in tlie Gomin Swamp, two 

 Spilosomas, females, lying side by side. One of them was much spotted, 

 and presented the exact appearance of the insect which is figured, with 

 closed wings, in the original edition of Dru Drury's work, and named by 

 him Bombyx cunea. The other was white, but on the median nerve, at 

 the angle of the second fork, there was a small black dot, hardly percep- 

 tible. The thorax was clothed with light down ; the abdomen was white 

 and spotless. The eyes were black, as were also the under sides of the 

 antennae and feet. The front of the thorax under the head was luteous. 



This second moth laid eggs on the loth of July, and the eggs pro- 

 duced larvae which, in due time, pupated. The moths appeared in the 

 following spring. 



I took the mother moth to the meeting of the Entomological 

 Society of Ontario, at London, and readily identified it with specimens 

 marked " Spilosoma congrua, Walker," in the Society's collections. 



Of the imagoes raised from this insect some were allowed to escape, 

 some I gave away, and a few were crippled ; but I have twenty-eight of 

 them before me at this moment, and they present a most interesting 

 subject for study. I will group them : — 



I. As Regards the Wings : 



(a) Two males, all but immaculate, having the faintest indication 



of a dot at the second fork of the median nerve. 



(b) One male having a decided black spot at the point above 



mentioned. 



(c) Five males and seven females having the spot and indications 



of an irregular transverse row of dots near the hind margin. 



(d) Seven females with the spot and a well-defined row of black 



dots near the hind margin. 



(e) One male and two females with the spot, and a terminal row 



and sub-terminal row of dots.. 



