1917 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 115 



Pupa. — Length 12-15 mm., 5-6 mm. wide; shining reddish brown, darker at 

 posterior end; cremaster two-spinned, the spines short, stout, and projecting out- 

 wardly towards the venter. Wing-covers prominent and slightly wrinkled. 



Length of Larval and Pupal Stages. 



The larva described in the five instars, received at Ottawa on March 1, was, 

 as noted, 3 nnn. in length, and undoubtedly a day, or at the most 2 days in 

 age. It reached maturity on March 26, on which date it began to make its cocoon. 

 By the morning of March 29 the pupa was formed. Another larva also began to 

 make its cocoon on the same day and in this instance too the pupa was formed on 

 the morning of Marcli 29. The larval period, therefore, was about 27 days. 



These larvte had been kept separately in specimen tubes in which there was 

 some earth. Each spun its cocoon on the side of the tube which rested on the 

 earth in the breeding cage. Only sufficient of the earth was used by each larva to 

 make a suitable cover, the glass furnishing the bottom, so to speak, of the cocoon. 

 The obtaining of the length of the pre-pupal period, therefore, was a simple 

 matter. 



A moth emerged on April 12 from one of the two pupae mentioned, the pupal 

 period in this instance being 14 days. The second pupa died. Moths from other 

 pupa? emerged during the period April 1 to 10. 



Description of the Moth. 



The moth is a rather striking species and quite different from any other forri\ 

 found in Canada. At first glance it reminds one of certain species of the old 

 genus Pliisia. The fore-wings in general arc brown, with a darker velvety, rather 

 A^-shaped costal area near the centre of the wings. Towards the apex of the wings 

 and at the base of each wing the color is also dark brown. Some specimens are, 

 in general, of a darker brown shade than others. The markings on the wings are 

 shown in the figure herewith. (Figs. 4, 5, page 112.) The bands across the fore- 

 wings are whitish tinged with pink. The hind wings are of a uniform paler 

 brown color, lighter towards the base. The body corresponds in general to the 

 color of the wings. In the male there is a conspicuous widening of the antennae 

 near the head. The legs are conspicuously tufted. With the wings expanded the 

 moth measures from about 30 to 34 mm. 



Habits. 



Food Plants. The ferns attacked in Mr. Barton's greenhouses, Weston, Ont., 

 were Boston, AVliitmani and Scotti. Mr. Fetch visited the greenliouses on February 

 29 and found that over 75 per cent, of the fronds had been destroyed. In the 

 Montreal West greenhouse the same varieties were attacked, about 200 plants being 

 more or less injured. 



Nature of Injuries. The caterpillars are very active feeders and when several 

 occur on a single plant they soon effect serious damage. Like other noctuid larvje 

 they prefer the young and tender leaves but will readily attack the older and 

 larger leaves, and even eat into the more tender portions of the stems. In an ex- 

 perimental cage one frond measuring 16 inches in length was entirely denuded by 

 one last stage larva in four days. Mr. Fetch, at the time of his visit in February, 

 noticed that the smaller larvae when disturbed dropped from the plants by means 

 of a silken thread. They were found feeding early in the afternoon. In report- 



