The Journal 



OF THE 



Boston Zoological Society. 

 Vol. I. Octoben 1882, No, 4, 



NOTES ON THE CHANGES IN THE LARV^ OF 

 ORGYIA LEUCOSTIGAIA. 



By Rev. N. Coleman. 



My attention was first directed to these changes, in the 

 summer of 1877, by finding some caterpillars of Orgyia 

 leiu'ostigma which differed from the description given by 

 Dr. Harris in his work on "Insects Injurious to Vegetation." 



Finding some eggs of this species in the winter of 1878 

 on tlie branch of an apple tree, I put them in a box for the 

 purpose of rearing the larvae. The eggs hatched on May 

 10. The caterpillars were dork-colored and had the head 

 almost black, but showed some of the distinguishing char- 

 acteristics Ijelonging to this species. They became lighter 

 after moulting, but, owing to want of time, I was unable 

 to ascertain how many times they moulted before pupating. 

 On June 14 a number of thfem appeared after moulting 

 with white tufts on the back. Some pupated on June 28 

 and others on June 29. 



Supposing that sex had something to do with these 

 changes in color, I watched carefully for the appearance of 

 the moth. On July 3 some of these cocoons hatched, pro- 

 ducing both male and female moths, and as I wished to 

 obtain some eggs fur further experiment I left them in the 

 box. These e^^^ hatched on July 16. Bv Aut^ust 7 all 



