104 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



melanic, black over dorsal area and wing-cases, and black varied with 

 brown on ventral side. Duration of this stage 7 to 10 days. 



I have raised many broods of Nyctiis the past five years, but only this 

 season (1878) have I been able to assure myself fully of its peculiarities. 

 Upwards of 50 larvae were carried through last winter, and by separating 

 them into small lots and regularly noting the changes in each, it was made 

 certain that three moults occur after hybernation, instead of two as in 

 Tharos. And treating the larvae of the June brood with the same care, 

 the complete winter and summer history is manifest Of 92 larvae from 

 one lot of eggs laid 28th May, and all which passed their first moult about 

 1 8th June, 56 proceeded to second moult about 21st June, and third 

 moult about 26th, and so on to chrysalis. But $6 lingered after the first 

 moult, and 32 of them assumed the russet hybernating coat, before 

 described, at second moult, while the remaining 4 came up then in black 

 coats like the larger part of the brood, and slowly proceeded to chrysalis, 

 which they reached many days after the others. These 4 seemed to have 

 had a tendency to join the hybernators which was somehow counteracted, 

 but they proceeded with a hesitancy at every stage till they reached 

 chrysalis. The shrinking of the hybernators I have spoken of. These 

 are now resting, some of them in the folds of a dried leaf, others on the 

 tin cover of the glass they fed in, gathered in a close cluster, and if kept 

 through the summer in a moderately cool place, and in the winter 

 in a cool and dry one, will be apt to survive till next spring.* 



Of the larvae which I had alive last winter, most awoke 15th and 

 1 6th February, on being brought into a warm room, and moved about. 

 Some fed a little and then rested for their first spring moult, which took 

 place shortly after. Others passed this moult without feeding, for no food 

 was given them. Others remained motionless, or if aroused, went to 

 sleep again, and though subject to the same temperature and treatment as 

 the active ones, did not pass their first moult till early in April, that is, 

 fully six weeks after some of the others. Four larvae of this drowsy lot 

 passed their first moult 7th April, fed for a day or two very sparingly and 

 dropped to sleep again. On 8th of May one of these began to feed once 



* As the printing of this paper has been delayed nearly a year, I am able to add 

 (June 1, 1879) that such of these larvae as rested on the tin survived the winter with no 

 loss, but those in the leaves all died. I have several times noticed that a cool metal 

 surface protects the larvae better than leaves, which are apt to become damp with changes 

 in the weather, and mould. 



