1893.] ^J [Packard. 



PI. iii. Fig. 8). It was found on Vaccinium corymhosum at Providence, 

 October 5. 



Full-fed Larva . — Length, 15 mm.; greatest height, 7 mm.; breadth of 

 body, 8.5 mm. The body is short and high, quadrangular in transverse 

 section, bulging out a little near the creeping disli. The back slopes 

 rapidly down from the middle to each end, which is acute, ending in a 

 point or process, so that the caterpillar looks like a little rough skiff. The 

 head end is a little truncated, the head not seen from above, while the 

 posterior end is acutely pointed and held somewhat elevated from the 

 surface. Each side of the broad flat back is sharply ridged, and on the 

 outside on the lateral edge of the ridge is a row of eight small, square, 

 brownish spots. The segments are flat and continuous, the sutures obso- 

 lete, so that neither above nor on the sides is the body segmented, a char- 

 acteristic of the larvae of this genus, which as regards the caterpillar is 

 highly modified or specialized in shape and extei'nal structure. In the 

 middle of the back the ridge is slightly swollen and inside are two large 

 diflTuse pale-lilac patches ; there is a similar pair of patches near the end 

 of the body. Tlie head is brown and of the usual shape. The prothoracic 

 segment or hood has a V-shaped fissure or opening in front ; it is lilac 

 above, greenish behind. On each side of the body above is a series of 

 faintly impressed, oblong (vertically situated) impressed areas, each con- 

 taining a round pale-brown scar. There is a row of scars below the spira- 

 cles, and a row of smaller scars along the edge of the bottom of the body. 

 There are seven round pale-brown spiracles visible ; the eighth, if present, 

 I have been as yet unable to detect. 



Tlie larva of this species differs generically from that of Lithacodia fas 

 ciold in the very broad dorsal plateau, which is as b)'oad as the body, the 

 sides being perpendicular, and either full or hollow, this being dependent 

 on the motions of the insect. The skin is smoother, less rough and granu- 

 lated than usual, and there are in general no minute setae or fine hairs, 

 except a few scattered hairs near the edge of the creeping disk. 



The peculiar shining, glistening green color is half way in hue between 

 the color of the upper and under side of the leaf. There is a narrow, 

 threadlike yellow dorsal line from which a fine yellow line passes off at 

 riglit angles along the suture of three of the segments near the middle of 

 the body. On the third and fourth abdominal segments the lateral ridge, 

 which is well pronounced, is swollen and raised, and stained yellow, but 

 tinged with deep blood red on the top of the dorsal ridge. On the seventh 

 abdominal segment it is flattened and hollow, and there is a subtriangular 

 hollow, pale, yellowish brown, edged with deep red. All the four sub- 

 dorsal patches resemble the small sere and brown spots on the oak leaf, 

 whicii are generally yellowish brown and reddish ; the imitation in 

 color, as in other Limacodid larvae, being striking. The edge of the 

 creeping disk is whitish yellow. The body ends in a short, conical, tail- 

 like process, the tip of which is brownish, and on this process the two 

 subdorsal ridges and the two lower yellowish-while lines above the 



