132 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



ants and snails. It is not unusual to find upon opening a gall that the 

 pupa is wriggling about in a mass of myriapods to the number of thirty or 

 more, but as they do not attack the chrysalis their presence does not seem 

 to be especially detrimental. As purpurifascia has a destructive enemy 

 in the mole, so necopina has a chief foe in the field mouse. The mice 

 dexterously tear out the side of the gall, eat the pupa, and hurry on to 

 another, going over a large territory in a single night. It is only a pupa 

 diet that suits them. The galls are never disturbed until after the pupal 

 change. They are experts too at their trade. I have examined scores of 

 demolished galls, but not once was a gall broken open that did not have 

 the exit aperture made for the moth j in other words, never a gall that 

 was parasitized. 



Mr. Grote's description of ?iecopina (Can. Ent., VIII., 25) is rather 

 limited by reason that there is so little of pattern to dwell upon, and his 

 material was not plentiful. All that may be added is that the transverse 

 posterior line on primaries may be traced on fresh specimen. It is most 

 plainly seen at the internal margin, and can be seen in some examples 

 extending to the costa. There is a slight sexual difference in colour, the 

 male shading more slightly olivaceous than the female. There seems to 

 be very little difference in size between the sexes, the usual disparity so 

 generally shown in Hydroecia has not been noticed in my experience with 

 this species. Necopina reminds one slightly of some of the genera which 

 follow, Bellura. for instance, but there is no indication of a clypeal pro- 

 jection. The thoracic tuft behind collar is very prominent, and when at 

 rest is projected forward at times, reminding one of Ciicullia. On 

 emergence from the pupa it is, of course, of the most importance that an 

 exit be made at once before the wings have expanded, and for some time 

 afterwards the moth exhibits the greatest restlessness, crawling in nervous 

 haste from one point to another, always toward the light if in darkened 

 quarters. 



Mature larva : Length, 1.7 inches, smooth and of the greasy appear- 

 ance common to boring larvae. Body thicker perceptibly in the middle, 

 and is a more robust larva than the preceding. Colour, dirty white. 

 Head and shields testaceous, dark at the sides. Spiracles black ; true 

 legs dark brown, pro-legs concolorous with body. On each segment are 

 a number of testaceous dots, larger and more conspicuous on the fourth, 

 fifth, and last segments. Under a glass a it^ minute hairs may be seen. 

 Along the dorsum beneath the skin may plainly be seen the internal 



