210 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



We have again a third phase in the " species " of Datana. Here the 

 variation in the larva is strong in the last moults, and the imagos though 

 almost are not quite identical. The species may be separated without 

 knowing the larva. The two nearest allied forms, minisira and integer- 

 rima, have the one uneven, the other even fore wings. The larva of the 

 latter is black with long silky white hairs, wanting in the former, which 

 remains striped. It must be remembered that in an allied genus, Nadata, 

 the two species are also separable by the differing margin in the imago ; the 

 larva; are yet unknown. In Catocala we have two forms, C. crataegi 

 Saund. and C. polygaina Guen., quite distinct in the larval and very near 

 in the perfect state. 



I have briefly brought these facts together here to show that larvae are 

 independently subject to variation. The small differences in the imagos 

 are usually attended by much greater differences in the larvre in the case 

 of closely allied "species." An analogy in the differences between closely 

 allied species in different genera is shown in Nadata and Datana. We 

 may expect similar facts when the history of our CerurcB becomes known, 

 all bearing on the objective basis for all our "genera" and "species," 

 although certain lepidopterists continue to insist on real distinctions 

 between certain of these artificial divisions. The conceptions of one class 

 of naturalists are treated as corresponding with Nature, the other, not ; 

 but with insufficient reason. 



NOTES ON THE EGG, LARVA AND PUPA OF SMERINTHUS 



MODESTA. 



BY ROBERT BUNKER, ROCHESTER, N. Y. 



Egg — tV in. diameter ; light green, translucent, smooth, circular, oblate 

 or depressed. Hatched in nine days from extrusion. Larva — ^^ in. long; 

 light green, slender ; head large, round, slightly depressed medially ; face 

 pink, with a purplish tinge ; extremity of the body dark sea-green, with a 

 large wart or tubercle, pyramidal in form, upon which rests the horn. 



