March, ipifi.] Bird: Xanthcecia buffaloensis. 87 



This feature of " latia" escaped notice up to 1911^ when but four 

 specimens were known to us in collections. Last year an occurrence 

 at Elizabeth, N. J. (Mr. O. Buchholz), makes it evident the species 

 is a denizen of our fifty-mile faunal zone. A proper acquaintance 

 however must rest in a knowledge of the larval habit when a suffi- 

 ciency of material will be available, but our search to this end for 

 many years had been without result. It easily qualified as one of the 

 most elusive Noctuids of our state, so that one exposing the larval 

 habit and foodplant would score an important discovery. 



Last season this honor fell to Mr. F. M. Jones at Wilmington, 

 Del., when it transpired the nearly full larval history was observed 

 and a number of moths reared. Very generously this material has 

 been placed at our disposal, and later, at the time of larval maturity, 

 an investigation of the foodplant near Elizabeth, N. J., disclosed the 

 species working there. The young, second stage, boring larva was 

 first met by Mr. Jones and enough difference existed with the 

 Papaipemse to at once warrant the assumption the new disclosure 

 must be buffaloensis. The apprehension of such astute larvse is due 

 usually to a patient perusal of suspected or assumed suitable, food- 

 plants, and when in the process of elimination Saiininis ccrnnns L. 

 was given over to investigation, after several seasons success pre- 

 vails. The choice of such a water-loving plant, growing as it usually 

 does in standing water, must surely work disaster to the larva at 

 times. This coupled with a severe parasitism which begins at a very 

 early stage, earlier than any of the allies suffer, and with fungi work- 

 ing havoc at maturity and with the pupa, makes us realize very forc- 

 ibly why the imago is a rare moth. As if to meet an extra hazardous 

 experience this larva is remarkable in several ways. In the point of 

 activity, in changing from one plant to another when the food seems 

 to have no bearing, and in the matter of appetite it is a record-break- 

 ing gourmand consuming as it does about twice its bulk daily ot the 

 roct-stock. When it is recalled some of the Papaipcma species like 

 ptcrisii and hiinmli eat scarcely more than this amount during the 

 whole larva] period of two months, the contrast in this case is pro- 

 nounced. Ihere is further the power of expelling frass to some dis- 

 tance so that the operations of this larva are not to be confused with 

 any other. How the eggs are placed is unknown, but hibernation 



1 Jour. N. Y. Ent. Soc, XIX, p. 88. 



