420 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



pies of the larva, the latter never having before been described. 

 The following description of this larva was submitted for publi 

 cation : 



LARVA OF EUCHEIRA SOCIALIS WESTW. 

 By HARRISON G. DYAR. 



Head prominent, rounded, somewhat higher than wide, clypeus 

 reaching half way to vertex, the paraclypeal pieces depressed, 

 especially in a punctiform hollow about the middle ; black, shin 

 ing, with numerous short white seta? ; width (at hibernation) 2.5 

 mm. Body cylindrical, tapering a little posteriorly, joint 2 wider 

 than the head ; cervical shield and anal plate weak, but evident, 

 black ; leg shields also black. Feet normal, crotchets in a dense 

 line on the inner half of planta, but also a secondary row of small 

 ones on outer half. Dark purplish, approaching black, venter 

 somewhat greenish. An obscure, diffuse, whitish stigmatal band 

 with whitish rings about the small, black, spiracles ; a broad, ob 

 scure, blackish dorsal band. Segments indistinctly 6-annulate, 

 covered, rather thickly, with white secondary tubercles, varying 

 somewhat in size, each with a fine white hair. The hairs are 

 longer from the larger tubercles and all are absent on the dorsal 

 line. Length about 25 mm. The general appearance is black, 

 finely peppered with white. Shape as usual in Pieridae. 



Mr. Ashmead, in discussion, said he was very much interested 

 in this note, particularly because the insect concerned is the first 

 example of a social species in the group to which it belongs. He 

 ventured some ideas as to the origin of the social habit, suggesting 

 the possibility of this species being a connecting one between the 

 butterflies and moths on account of this peculiarity. In answer 

 to a question by Mr. Marlatt, Dr. Dyar said this species was the 

 only social butterfly known to him. A discussion on the charac 

 ter of the closing nest or communal sack was participated in by 

 Messrs. Chittenden, Gill, Dyar, Marlatt, Ashmead, Waite, Busck, 

 and Caudell. The subject of finding a local food plant for the 

 young of this insect now in Dr. Dyar's possession was also dis 

 cussed. The native food plant in the South is a species of Arc- 

 tostaphylos, and Mr. Waite suggested that perhaps the northern 

 A. uva-ursi might supply the need. 



