THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 95 



mystery. It was learned that when the larvse leave the hiberna- 

 tion cell they move at once to the fresh growth of the spring, the 

 young grass shoots .being then perhaps eighteen inches tall. These 

 shoots are entered near their upper end, where the long blades 

 coalesce into a spongy stem, and the larvae of the previous year 

 begin once more to feed upon the fresh and succulent interior of 

 this growing sprout. Boring downward nearly to the ground they 

 reach maturity, become sluggish, line a portion of frass-free gallery 

 with a delicate silken tissue and pupate here some time early in 

 July. At the time of pupation the larva measures from 15 mm. 

 to 18 mm. in length, and is a half-transparent, watery green colour 

 with sometimes a yellowish tinge. 



The Pupa. 



The pupa is a chestnut brown and measures about 12 mm. in 

 length by 3 mm. in diameter. During emergence the moth drags 

 the pupal envelope almost completely from the stem. 



The Adult. 



The first adult to be reared in captivity appeared in a cage 

 July 19th, 1915. These moths continued to emerge during July 

 and well into August, the last one being taken about August 15th, 

 Several adults were captured on July 20th, 1916, in the vicinity of 

 Spartina, near Sergeant Bluff, Iowa. In captivity the adults are 

 good hiders, being difficult to find in a cage until they move, and 

 they only move when much annoyed. They stand on grass blades 

 or other perch with the head pointing upwards and will sidestep 

 when disturbed, flying only as a last resort. In the open they take 

 to wing with a quick, baffling flight which carries them a few feet. 

 They make a dash for shelter, alight on a leaf or twig and whirl to 

 the rear of their perch as quick as a flash. After one such flight 

 they are easily dislodged again, and are not readily taken. 



Beyond this note nothing is known of the habits of the adults, 

 but they are evidently nocturnal fliers, judging from sundry 

 observations. 



Oviposition doubtless occurs soon after the emergence of the 

 moths and studies of the Spartina heads indicate that the period 

 of oviposition covers several weeks. The same seasonal causes 

 that would delay the emergence of the moths would also tend to 

 retard the heading out of the Spartina. A supply of glumes in 



