222 Journal New York Entomological Society. [Voi. xv. 



and perhaps in the Mississippi valley west as far as the forests extend. 

 The species is single brooded, the adults emerging during July, the 

 larvae maturing in September and October. There is no special food 

 plant, any smooth-leaved tree in the right location will serve. The 

 usual trees inhabited by Limacodids are chosen, the small-leaved red 

 oak being the favorite. Location is more important than the particu- 

 lar tree, the larvae preferring overhanging boughs without close under- 

 growth, generally about five feet from the ground, never low down. 

 On large trees they may occur at a considerable altitude. The eggs 

 are laid singly and generally well scattered, seldom many larvae occur- 

 ring on one tree, usually but one. They are placed on the back of the 

 leaf, not adjacent to a rib. ■ The young larvae at first eat little holes 

 through the lower epidermis and parenchyma and travel about a good 

 deal, especially between the stages, although of course never leaving 

 the original tree. Later they eat the whole leaf from the end, as is 

 the general habit of the family. The larva, after shedding its horns, 

 leaves the tree and spins a small hard round cocoon on the ground, 

 where the winter is passed. 



Criticism of Previous Descriptions. 



The larva was figured by Glover nine years before the adult was 

 known. I have commented on his figures, in which the bulbs of the 

 subdorsal horns were interpreted by me as the horns themselves and 

 the horns as laterals, owing to a wrong appearance given by the fig- 

 ures. I have also quoted the notes on the larva preserved in the De- 

 partment of Agriculture, written, I think, by Mr. Pergande, in which 

 an attempt is made to describe the peculiar structure of the tubercles, 

 which is really scarcely understandable when taken alone, without 

 comparison with allied forms. A good idea of the beautiful appear- 

 ance of this insect is given in the account. I sent formerly photographs 

 of the mature larva to Mr. A. R. Grote, who exhibited them before 

 the entomological society at Hildesheim. He reported that the society 

 was struck dumb, having never imagined that a larva could have such 

 a strange and beautiful appearance. "The creature, as it moves, 

 seems to be one mass of delicate floss of finely spun glass," as de- 

 scribed in the Agriculture notes, to which may be added that the spun 

 glass rests upon a series of clear green cones with a row of beads at 

 their bases. 



