54 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



This was clearly demonstrated in an attack made by an Ichneumon upon 

 a larva of Apatela Americana Harris, which came under my observation 

 in the early part of last autumn. This genus belongs to the family of the 

 Noctuidse, the larvse of which, like the Arctians, are clothed with dense 

 spinular hairs. The caterpillar had secured itself by its abdominal legs to 

 the midrib of a maple leaf, having the fore part of its body elevated, 

 similar to the attitude common to the larvae of the Sphingidae. The para- 

 site displayed great energy in the effort to deposit, seemingly as if to com- 

 pel the caterpillar to change its position, but as the caterpillar remained 

 immovable for many minutes, probably a quarter of an hour, I was led to 

 the conclusion that it realized its security in the position it had taken. 

 After driving the parasite away, I discovered that the caterpillar, though 

 perfectly life-like in form, was dead, and as hard as if petrified, and that 

 the parasite, guided, as it would appear in this case, solely by sight, had 

 been, like the Entomologist, thoroughly deceived. In view of the com- 

 monly accepted opinion, that insects are attracted by odor, not only to 

 their own food, but to the proper food for their progeny, whether it be 

 animal or vegetable, I have referred to this incident, as contributing to the 

 theory that the parasite, in providing food for its progeny, seeks it by 

 sight ; for it would seem most improbable that a dead and dried caterpillar 

 should retain a sufficiency of its natural odor to attract. The incident 

 also illustrates, by the mode of attack and the prolonged effort at ovi- 

 position, that the caterpillar must be brought into an attitude favorable for 

 the reception of the egg. I am inclined to the opinion that the reduction 

 of these moths through the instrumentality of parasites, is largely effected 

 while in the pupa condition, having noted this pecuHarity of habit during 

 our recent extraordinary visitation of the O. leucostigma Smith. The full 

 grown larvse of this species, collected by me, developed into moths, while 

 from cocoons gathered it was not uncommon to obtain parasites. The 

 cocoons of the hairy larvse commonly consist of loose interwoven hairs, 

 and are not so dense but that the pupa is readily discoverable by the 

 parasite, even if the cocoons themselves do not attract them. 



LARVA OF DOLBA HYL^US ? 



BY W. HAGUE HARRINGTON, OTTAWA. 



On the 29th July last, while beating along the margin of a small stream, 

 I found on my net a larva which had apparently fallen from an alder- 



