116 MEMOIKS OF THE XATIOXAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



Datana palmii BeutBiiiiiiiller. 

 (PL II, lig. 9, (? ; 10, S.) 



Vatana j>almu Bent., Psyche, vi, p. 299. Jan.. 1S90. 



Smith, List Leii. Bor. Amer., p. 30. 1891. 

 Kirhy, Syu. Cat. Lep. Het.. i, p. 613, 1872. 

 var, Trans. Amer. Eut. 8of., xxi, p. 198, 1894; Journ. N. Y. Ent. 8oc., iv, p. 116, 1894. 



Larva. 



(PI. XIV. figs, 2, 2o, 3, 3a. 

 Dyar, Eut. Amer, vi, p. 181, 1890. 



Moth. — Thoracic patcb burnt umber (ft.. Ill, 8), sliading iuto tawny olive on lieart and collar 

 (li., Ill, 17). Tliorax and primaries of a pale whitish lilac color, between I!., II, 1.3, and E., Ill, 

 21, but paler than either, and shading into a brownish tone along the costa; wing.s rather tbickly 

 irrorated with nmrs brown (R., III. 13) scales, with line and fringe of the same color. Lines 1, 2, 

 and 5, are distinct, the others faint. Di.scal dot obsolete, represented by faint shades. Secondaries 

 glossy pinkish buff (R., V, 14) more or less tinged with brown. Abdomen darker, especially toward 

 the base. Below even paler than the secondaries above, shading into a brownish tint on primaries, 

 the fringe on these wings being as dark as above. Exterior margin of primaries only slightly 

 scalloped. 



Expanse of wiiigs, 40-50 mm. 



This form is probably not specifically distinct from I>. foritluna. The color of the pale .scales 

 is brighter and they are more numerous, which gives the wing a lighter appearance and brings 

 out the lines more prominently. In the larvii?, that of 1). palmii has the head and other red parts 

 lighter than in D. Jioridana, being nearly a cherry-stone color in the former and "mahogany-red" 

 in the latter. The stripe may be a little narrower in 7>. jndiirii, though this is doubtful. (Dyar.) 



Egf/.-^Lmd in a patch of 7.J-S0 on underside of the leaf. The egg diflers from that of J). 

 drexelii in being smaller, thin-shelled, somewhat like tine porcelain. Its diameter is nearly as 

 great as its height. The tip is not depressed, being full, convex, forming a regular cap, which 

 is clearly separated by a slight constriction from the rest of the egg; most of this cap is eaten 

 jiwiiy by the larva in hatching. Micropyle large, distinct, and dark, from the shell at this place 

 being thin and transparent. Under half-inch objective. A eyepiece, the surface of the shell, 

 including the cap, is seen to be ornamented with fine polygonal areas. 



Larva, first stage. — Head black and shining; width, 0.5 mm. Body brown, with i'oiir lateral and three, ventral 

 dull yellowish stripes wider than the intervening spaces. Cervical shield, anal plaie, and feet black. The hairs 

 arise from minute blackish warts. During this stage the larviB eat only the parenchyma of the leaf, and sit with the 

 extremities of their bodies elevated like the other S])ecies of the genus. 



Second staije. — Head higher than wide, flat in front, black (in a few exampies, brownish), smooth, and shining; 

 width, 0.9 mm. ; furnished with a few pale hairs. Body reddish brown, the stripes yellowish. Cervical .shield, anal 

 plate, and feet shining black. During this and subseijueut stages the larva- cat the whole leaf, remaining together 

 upon ode twig until it is defoliated. 



Third stage. — Head black to blackish red in different examples; eyes and mouth l)]ack; width, 1.6 mm. Body 

 dark reddish brown, the stripes dull yellow, arranged as in the next stage, the subventral ones interrupted at the 

 b.ases of the legs and correspondingly ou the legless segments. Cervical shield, anal plate, thoracic and anal feet, 

 and the abdominal feet outwardl3' black. A few short pale li.airs. 



Fourth stage. — Head higher than wide, rounded, ([uite flat in front; depressed a little at the sutures at the 

 top of the triangular plate and furnished with a few hairs; color black or blackish red to light mahogany-red, or 

 «ven orange tinted in different examples of the same brood; the eyes and jaws black, labium and antenna' yellowish ; 

 the latter black ringed. Body l)lack, becoming brownish; four lateral stripes, a subventral and ventral one pale 

 yellow, the lateral ones becoming almost white in some examples. All nearly as wide as the intervening spaces. 

 They run nearly to the anterior edge of joint 2. except the first and second lateral, which stop at the cervical shield 

 and end before reaching the anal plate, except the third lateral and the ventral. The subventral lino is interrupted 

 by the light reddish bases of the legs and by reddish spots on the legless segnieuts, except on joint 13. Cervical 

 shield, anal plates, thoracic feet, and the abdominal outwardly shining black; the anal plates punctured and 

 narrowly bordered with ocher-yellow. In some examples Avith red heads this border is broader, and the cervical 

 shield is partly ocherous orange. Hair whitish, thin, and short, growing from ndnute black tubercles. 



Fifth stage. — Head as high as wide, rounded, a little flattened at the extreme front; depressed at the sutures 

 at the top of the triangular jdate, and very minutely punctured: a few blackish hairs; color light reddish orange 



