53^ TRANS. ST. LOUIS ACAD. SCIENCE. 



and grew well, but no very close observations could be made on 

 them on account of the mass of leaf-remains spun together, in 

 which they concealed themselves. However, some of the larvae 

 were in sight most of the time until Aug. 15, when none could 

 be seen. On taking out the web, which peeled oft' in layers, . 

 nine pupae and two larvfe of/', timidiis were found. One of the 

 larvae pupated the next day. and the perfect beetle emerged Aug. 

 26. The -other larva pupated Aug. 19, and the perfect beetle 

 emerged Aug. 2S. 



To determine whether the Plochioii/is larvae normally pupate 

 in the webs, as would appear from this observation, on the 20th 

 of August a branch of Osage orange, on which was a colony of 

 H. cunea accompanied by five larvce of P. timidits^ was brought 

 in and placed uncovered in a pot of sand, thus leaving the larvae 

 at liberty to escape if they were so inclined. Aug. 27th, a pupa 

 was found, suspended in the web, swinging free from the foliage 

 as if in a hammock. Sept. 4th, this pupa changed to a beetle. 

 The web was then examined for indications of the other lar- 

 vae, and two additional beetles and one dead pupa were found 

 in the web, leaving but one of the original five larvae unac- 

 counted for. 



In order to observe more closely the moults, eggs were placed 

 in deep cells on glass slides. One egg hatched in a cell Aug. 10. 

 The larva was kept in the cell and fed on small Hyphantria lar- 

 Vce. This larva ate and grew well for a time. It moulted Aug. 

 13, after which time it ate well for a few days and then sickened 

 and died, perhaps because of its close quarters. Another larva, 

 that came from the egg Aug. 11, was transferred to a small cov- 

 ered salt-cellar. This larva grew as well as those in the breeding 

 cages. It moulted Aug. 15. There was very little change in the 

 appearance of the larva after moulting; it then grew gradually, 

 and moulted again Aug. 19, after which it grew rapidly, reaching 

 about full size Aug. 24. It was quiet Aug. 28, as if about to pu- 

 pate ; but next morning it had escaped, the glass cover having in 

 some way been moved a little to one side, making room for its 

 exit. This larva should have pup^^iid Aug. 27 to have given it 

 the same length of time in the larval state as the one before men- 

 tioned. These facts would indicate the number of moults to be 



