THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 121 



FOOD PLANT OF MELIT^A TAYLORI, EDW. 



Having been asked by Mr. Jas. Fletcher, of Ottawa, to look for the 

 larva of J/. Taylori, with the purpose of discovering its food plant, &c., it 

 was with much pleasure that I accepted the commission, and now have the 

 gratification to inform you of my success. 



I began searching on March loth, but found everything very back- 

 ward, owing to the severe winter experienced on this island. Being 

 determined, however, not to miss an opportunity of succeeding, I con- 

 tiaued making a close examination of the declivities of the coast at 

 Beacon Hill (thinking it probable that the larvae had not reached the 

 top of the bluff before hibernating) ; but after several attempts to locate 

 it, I turned my attention on March 30th to the level land above the cliff, 

 and was rewarded by finding it feeding in numbers on the Rib-wort 

 Plantain (Plant ago lanceolata, L.) 



One peculiar fact I must mention of M. Taylori is that the larvae 

 evidently avoided the old plants, and fed solely on the younger ones, 

 instinctively knowing, perhaps, that they would be less exposed to the 

 attacks of their natural enemies, as the young plants were mostly hidden 

 by the dead grass of last year's growth ; however, when the first was 

 found it was an easy matter to follow them up, with the result of capturing 

 about two dozen in half an hour. 



They varied considerably in size, some being 6 lines, while most of 

 them were 10 lines in length. I found a cast-ofi" skin showing that they 

 had moulted since " feeding up" this spring ; and also that had I looked 

 in the right place a few days sooner I should, without a doubt, have found 

 them. They generally feed singly, but as their food plant grows in large 

 patches it was possible to collect a dozen or more without changing one's 

 position. 



They occur all along the coast immediately fronting Beacon Hill, and 

 I have found them a mile away from where they were plentiful ; but, in 

 that case, they were very few and far between, although I have collected 

 several dozen during the few hours I could spare from business. They 

 are day feeders, and naturally very slow in their movements. 



The following table gives dates of capture with result : — 

 March 30 took 23 in ^ hour. 



April 2 " 25 " I " 



