166 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



while du Buysson .reports: "une annee, M. 1'abbe de Joannis 

 en re tit trois mille cocoons, recoltes par des gamins.'' One 

 reason for the apparent abundance is the conspicuousness of 

 the cocoons, and it may be that the three thousand cocoons 

 that the abbe's sharp-eyed boys collected represented prac- 

 tically all the specimens of this species in the place, which 

 would not be a large number. The principal parasite appears 

 to be Chrysis shanghaiensis Smith, which parasitized one-tenth 

 of the cocoons above referred to. This species seems not to 

 have been imported into America with its host. 



The peculiar cocoons are one of the most noticeable features 

 of the life history. Placed conspicuously upon the branches 

 of the tree, their grotesque coloration at once attracts attention. 

 In spinning the cocoon the larva, after selecting a suitable 

 position, spins a few supporting threads ; but the anterior 

 ventral surface of the larva itself furnishes the main support 

 for the first film. The larva bends backward and spins back 

 and forth across its thoracic feet, gradually creeping upon 

 the film as it forms. When the outside film is complete the 

 larva strengthens it, continually turning about. The thread 

 is dark brown ; but during construction the larva voids an 

 opaque white fluid from its anus which gives the white ground 

 color. The' peculiar brown markings are caused by bands of 

 thick silk through which the white fluid has not penetrated 

 before the whole solidified. 



CRITICISM OF PKKYIOVS 1 )KSCKI I'TJOXS. 



Graeser's description of the larva is very brief, and mentions 

 only the coloration, so that one can not tell therefrom whether 

 the larva belongs to the spined or smooth types. This is 

 especially important in this case, since the structure of the 

 antennae of the male adult is deceptive. 



My description was made from inflated larvse in which the 

 color is largely lost. I failed to note the caltrope spines. 

 which were largely removed in the specimens. 



Dr. Fernald's description is rather long, but made from 

 larv?e taken from the cocoons, whose shape and colors both 

 \\ I.T</ abnormal. 



Fernald and Summers give full descriptions of the egg 

 and larval stages, with reproductions of photographs of several 

 of the stages. The locations of the horns are not accurately 

 described, to which the photographs add little, as many of them 

 are badly oui of focus. The figures of the large larva-, espe 

 riully those of the sixth stage, are good and give a very char- 

 acteristic representation of this curious insect. The authors 

 failed to notice the caltrope spines. 



