190 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



was seized between the fore legs, pulled off and cast aside. As soon as 

 the first pair of functional prolegs were free, they were moved forward and 

 attached to the support, and by a gentle pull the rest of the body was 

 quickly withdrawn. The tender larva then moved on a short distance 

 and stopped to rest before proceeding to feed. 



During the fourth instar the larvae fed very heartily, becoming large 

 and fat, but toward the end of the instar they became sluggish and fed 

 but little. In from nine to twelve days they entered the ground to 

 pupate. After two days, two of the larvae were dug up and examined. 

 They had formed little ellipsoidal cases .-of particles of earth held together 

 by a loose silken lining, and apparently also by some mucilaginous sub- 

 stance. The cocoons were quite tough, slightly less than half an inch in 

 length, and within them the larvae were doubled up, as they were about 

 half as long again as the cocoons, but after five days they had not 

 pupated. 



On May 28 it became necessary to discontinue the observations, so 

 the large flowerpot containing the pup?e — -pupating larvje— was set in the 

 ground in a sheltered place where it would receive a normal amount of 

 moisture, so that its top stood even with the surface of the ground. A 

 fine wire screen was placed over the pot to prevent the escape of the 

 adults when they should emerge. 



During September and October frequent observations were made to 

 determine at just what time the adults emerged, but as none appeared, an 

 examination was finally made. Twenty-five cocoons were found at 

 depths ranging from 1^ to 4 inches, but the majority were not more than 

 two inches deep. Each cocoon showed a small round hole through 

 which some enemy had entered and destroyed the pupa. It is probable 

 that the damage was done by small red ants (a species of Monomorium), 

 as these were known to have destroyed other pupae in the vicinity during 

 the summer. The date of emergence of the adults could not, therefore, 

 be determined, but this is a comparatively unimportant point, as it is 

 well known that the majority of them emerge during the last part of 

 October and the first of November. 



Explanation of Plate 4. 

 Fig. 1.— Small group of eggs of Ahophila pometaria, Peck., 5/1. 

 Fig. 2. — Newly-hatched larva, 26 1. 

 Fig. 3. — Top view of eggs, 42/t. 



