1002.] GROTE — COCOON OF TELEA POLYPHEMUS. 401 



A SPECIALIZED COCOON OF TELEA POLYPHEMUS. 



BY A. RADCLIFFE GROTE. 

 {Read October 3, 1902.) 



The peculiarities of the cocoon of Telea polyphemiis are well 

 known to lepidopterists. It is of an egg-shape, woven free in the 

 leaf, close and tough in texture, without any false stem or attach- 

 ment to the tree, deciduous. Among a quantity of Attacid cocoons, 

 received from an old and valued friend of mine in New York, was 

 one which I took at first to belong with the suspensory cocoons of 

 Philosaniia, among which it came. It was provided with a silken 

 pedicel, 45 mm. in length, which had been spun entirely around 

 the stem of the leaf, not on one side only, and so that the dried 

 stem was enclosed and preserved within. This silken attachment 

 had evidently been shortly fastened above to the branchlet, as is 

 the case with the cocoons of the more specialized Attacid genera, 

 and Anther cBa anylitta. But the cocoon itself was in this instance 

 far too large and heavy for that of Philosamia, and, on examining 

 it closely, it was found to be of a firm, leathery texture, while the 

 chalky- white appearance, which the cocoon of Telea presents, could, 

 though with some difficulty, be detected. 



All doubts were removed by the appearance, on June 8, of a 

 large female specimen of Telea polyphemus, of the ordinary olive- 

 ochre type, a little more intensely colored than usual, but presenting 

 no variation in marking. Now Telea does not habitually fasten 

 itself to the leaf and branch. in this manner, spinning no false stem 

 or attachment. What circumstances induced this individual to 

 make a singular departure from the habit and custom of the species ? 



All departures are interesting. This one is particularly so, in 

 view of the ascertained progression in specialization of the Attacid 

 cocoons. Here is an instance of the sudden acquirement of the 

 attachment or pedicel, so that one is led to speculate on the excit- 

 ing cause. For this purpose a knowledge of the larva, tree, leaf and 

 weather seems necessary, while I have only the moth and the cocoon. 

 But I have elsewhere shown that the specializations of the three 

 states of the Lepidoptera manifest themselves independently. They 

 do not keep exact time in their progression, nor do they move with 

 equal foot, though a general correspondence in direction may be 

 evidenced. 



