OF WASHINGTON. 85 
NOTES ON THE LIFE-HABITS OF ^EGERIID.E.- A specimen of Melittia 
gloriosa Hy. Edw., from San Diego, Cal., the food-habits of which, so far 
as I know, are not jet recorded, though the moth itself has been found 
flying around cucurbitaceous plants by Mr. Edwards, and \\ was naturally 
inferred that the larva might live, like its congener, M. cucurbitce, in the 
roots of these plants. This species, however, was reared by Mr. F. E. 
Blasedale from the roots of RJnis laurina. The pupal exuvium shows that 
the spines are more strongly marked than in any other ^Egerian with 
which I am acquainted, the frontal thorns being noticeably strong, and re- 
calling the same parts in the larger Asilidce and Anthracidce. 
sEgeria impropria Hy. Edw. (specimens of imago, larva and pupa) is 
injurious, in the larval state, to strawberries in southern California. I 
have, for some years, known of great injury to strawberry roots by some 
borer of a Lepidopterous character, but the species had remained undeter- 
mined, as I had been unable to obtain specimens. As soon as I had an 
opportunity of examining some strawberry plants on the plantation of 
Mr. I. V. Wilcox, of Santa Clara, Cal., it was evident that the larva belonged 
to the ;3Lgeriidce. The larva of impropria has been hitherto unknown 
and the name maybe said, paradoxically, to be quite proper, and yet quite 
improper; for Mr. Edwards had also described a species of sEgcria by the 
name offragarice, the larva of which was not yet known, though Mr. Ed- 
wards informs me that it was found on the flowers of strawberry. The 
bred material shows that impropria is very variable in colorational mark- 
ings of the body. > ' 
A third sEgeriid exhibited is the very pretty Phemonoe $-caudata Rid- 
ings, the larva of which I have received from Dr. J. C. Neal, of Archer, 
Fla., who found it boring in the root of a grafted Japan Persimmon. The 
imago issued April n, 1887. I also exhibit specimens of Sciapteron 
rob'inice from Los Angeles county, Cal., reared from larva? boring in Salix 
californica; also specimens of ^Egeria albicornis Hy. Edw. from southern 
California, reared from larvae boring under the bark of Salix californica. 
An interesting fact connected with this last species is that the type is from 
Centre, N. Y., where the larva is not known; so that the species occurs 
on both coasts. 
Finally, a specimen of the very small sEgeria pyri Harr., bred at the 
Department of Agriculture from apple, is included. 
COLOR-VARIATION IN THE LARVA OF AGRAULIS VANILLA. I would also 
call attention to an interesting variation which I noticed at Los Angeles 
in the coloration of the larva of Agraulis vanillce. The eastern form of 
this larva is generally reddish or vinous-brown in color, with an indica- 
tion of two darker longitudinal rays, as my notes and preserved material, 
and the figures by Smith and Abbott and the older authors show. Those 
found at Los Angeles were very striking by virtue of the general color 
being of a bright leaden-blue or pale indigo-blue, with a broad bright lat- 
eral cream-colored stripe more or less diversified with ferruginous, the 
head distinctly marked with vertical pale vittse and with a pale crown. 
