CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 63 



BIOLOGICAL SYNOPSIS OF CALIFORNIA LEPIDOPTERA. 



BY DR. H. H. BEHR. 



The subjoined statement is an attempt to give, in a con- 

 densed form, those facts in regard to the habits of our Lepi- 

 doptera which are equally of interest to the student, the 

 collector, the agriculturist, and horticulturist. 



With a very few exceptions the various transformations 

 noted have been observed by the writer. In the remaining 

 cases he has relied upon the statements of entomological 

 friends, and he takes this opportunity to return thanks to 

 E. H. Stretch, Oscar T. Baron, Hy. Edwards, J. J. Rivers, 

 James Behrens, and L. E. Ricksecker, for their kind assist- 

 ance. 



In the first column is given the name of the insect; in the 

 second the food plant; in the third its frequency, and where 

 it is in sufficient numbers to be destructive whether it is an 

 epidemic or endemic pest; in the fourth the period of the 

 imago. If more than one, it is expressed by the figures 2 

 or co ; if only one, it is Vernal if it appears before the 

 flowering of iEsculus Oalifornica, iEstival if during the pe- 

 riod of its flowering, and Autumnal if appearing that period. 



The writer has sufficient reason for this method of classi- 

 fication, in the fact that in the part of California where these 

 facts were collected the appearance of species is by no 

 means rapid, and extends over a longer period than in coun- 

 tries with well defined seasons. Where there are two gener- 

 ations they are of course perceptibly Vernal and Autumnal. 



The last column shows in what form the species hyber- 

 nates. 



Taking into consideration the fact of the comparative 

 newness of the country, and that all the observations have 

 been made by but seven entomologists, the proportion of 

 those whose biology is more or less known, is not so very 

 unfavorable. 



