318 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



pointed setie, each containing, enclosed in a fold of epithelium, a single 

 glandular cell with a large branched nucleus ; {b) flagelliform seta? ; 

 (c) flask-shaped and conical setae ; and (d) branched setfe, in which the 

 glandular cell is at its simplest. It is probable enough that the glandular 

 cell which fills most of the epithelium-lined cavity of the urticating seta 

 is of epidermic origin, like the epithelium itself. In its young stage the 

 glandular cell is in communication with the epithelium and the epidermis 

 by means of protoplasmic threads. The author notes that we are not 

 yet quite certain whether the hairs of the Procession Caterpillar are 

 glandular or not. J. A. T. 



Vitality and Longevity of Silkworm Moths during^ Cold and 

 Rainy Season.— Maude L. Cleghorn [Joimi. and Froc. Asiatic Soc. 

 Bengal, 1919, 15, 101-5, ?. plates of tables). On the whole the moths 

 live very long during the cold seasons, fairly long in the hot weather, 

 but only a few days in the rainy season. There is always a pronounced 

 rise in the vitality of the moths in the cold season, and a fairly sudden 

 drop in the rainy season. J. A. T. 



Metamorphosis of Lepidoptera. — Edna Mosher {Ball. Illinois 

 State Lab. Nat Hist., 11)16, 12, 17-159, 9 pis.). Including a good 

 account of the changes preceding pupation. The first striking difference 

 between larva and pupa is the diminution of size in the latter, winch is 

 especially associated with the reduction of the alimentary canal. The 

 absence of legs is only apparent ; the scars of the pro-legs remain ; so 

 do indications of the larval seta?. The full-grown larva usually hastens 

 to pupate. The larval cuticle becouies wrinkled ; the moulting 

 glands pour their secretions between the outer and inner layers of the 

 cuticle. The old cuticle is loosened off and splits along the middle line 

 of the thorax, and is worked towards the tail-end. The liberated piipa 

 is covered with a very thin cuticle. In the genus jlIicropter?jx the 

 appendages of the pupa are all movable, and so are all but the posterior 

 segments of the abdomen. In ordinary cases the appendages are 

 soldered to each other, and in the more specialized forms to the body 

 surface as Avell. The mobihty of the abdominal segments is reduced to 

 nil. Before the emergence of the imago the individual appendages 

 usually get free. In more specialized forms the hard pupal cuticle 

 remains in one piece, except for the slit through which the imago 

 emerges. In the highly-specialized Lepidoptera the appendages are not 

 fully formed when pupation takes place, but consists of the transparent 

 cuticular coverings through which one or more slender trachea) may be 

 seen. J>efore the pupa covering is cast the cuticular parts of the adult 

 are fully formed in wliat is sometimes called the pre-imago stage. 



J. A. T. 



Classification of Lepidoptera based on Pupal Characters.— Edna 

 Mosher {Ball. Illinois State Lab. Nat. Hist., 11)1(5, 12, 17-150, 1) pis.). 

 It is shown that the following pupal characters may be used to good 

 effect in the determining ])liylogeny : — The number of movable segments, 

 the freedom of the api)endages, the number of sutures present in the 



