THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 85 



over two inches ; lateral red and white stripes similar to Saturnia io, with 

 an anal red horn and two pairs of similar horns on each of the 2nd and 

 3rd thoracic segments, with short red spines along the dorsal line. In 

 appearance much like atheroma irgalis, though but one-third its size, of 

 a hard stony make, evidently an Anisota. The pupa has the long spur 

 and indented segments common to the species. I collected quite a num- 

 ber. They are two-brooded, and may be three, as I found them of all 

 sizes at the same time. Female moth measures 2^ inches between the 

 tips of wings, the male 2 inches. Primaries light brown in the females, 

 with and without the central discal brown blotch ; the male with darker 

 primaries, with the outer third slightly roseate, and. with two white discal 

 superposed spots duskily fringed. Hind wings rose color on both sexes, 

 darkest near the body. The wings of both mottled with brown on the 

 primaries. Should like to have it named. 



I had so much trouble with ground for larvae last year that I concluded 

 to try sand, and got a lot of fine yellow sand similar to that used by 

 moulders, moistened it thoroughly two months since, and it is as moist 

 and loose as ever, and if I may speak for the larvae that have tried it, they 

 are just delighted with it and plunge right in. 



I find empty butter tubs very convenient, having wooden caps and not 

 warping like boxes, but it is necessary to scald them out thoroughly and 

 then lime the sides. Failing to do this last summer, I found some E. 

 imperialis larvae covered with small house ants that had eaten the epi- 

 dermis full of holes nearly through ; they, however, all got over it, though 

 covered with black spots. 



ON THE NATURAL HISTORY OF GALL INSECTS. 



BY DR. H. HAGEN, CAMBRIDGE, MASS. 



The* natural history of the interesting gall insects is still somewhat 

 mysterious. A large number of observations have been made here and 

 in Europe by prominent Entomologists ; nevertheless, a careful study 



