190<; ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 107 



THE NOTODONTIDAE OF THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC. 

 By Rev. Thomas W. Fyles, D.C.L., F.L.S. 



This interesting group of insects is not as well known as some other 

 families of the Lepidoptera. Datana viinistra Drury, Nerice bidentata Wal- 

 ker, Siimmerista alhifrons Smith and Abbot, and Schizura concinna S. and 

 A. are not uncommon with us; but otlier species are extremely rare; such 

 are Odontosia elegans Strecker, Dasylophia thyatiroidea Walker, , Hetero- 

 campa pulverea Grote and Robinson, and Cerura viultiscripta Riley. Of 

 each of these kinds I have taken but one specimen in many years. 



Imagos of the different species are sometimes attracted by light, and 

 sometimes they are found at rest on palings and the bolls of trees. They are 

 generally regarded as prizes by Entomologists. 



The larvae of most of the Notodontidae are remarkable objects. Some 

 of them assume grotesque attitudes ; for instance Datana Tninistra Drury, 

 which raises the fore and hindmost parts of its body in a threatening man- 

 ner and takes the form of a bow. Some, in their earlv stages, are strangely 

 horned, as is the case with Heterocampa guttivitta Walker in the first stage, 

 and with Heterocampa hiundata Walker in the first and third stages. Prob- 

 ably in these stages they are most in danger from ichneumons. Others again 

 are furnished with tooth-like prominences on the back, as Hyperaeschra 

 straguJa Grote. 



Fig. 2*5— \^a.r\a oi Pheosia diiiiididtti. (Her- Fiu. .27 — J^arva of Sr.izvra unicornis. 



rich Schaeffer. ) (Smith and Abbott. ) 



The handsome larva of Pheosia dimidiata Herrich-Schaeffer Fig. 26) 

 has a very rakish appearance. Its long body straight and trim, with its 

 beak-shaped anal horn, is suggestive to me of an ancient galley, or an Al- 

 gerine pirate boat — the conspicuous spiracles look like the openings for a 

 bank of oars. 



The green larva of Nerice bidentata Walker affords a fine instance of 

 mimetic analogy. It feeds on the edges of a leaf; and its jagged dorsal-out- 

 line presents a resemblance to the leaf's serrations. 



The larvae of Symmerista albifrons Smith and Abbot, and those of 

 Schizura^ concinna S. and A., (Fig. 27) have gouty swellings highly colored. 

 To gardeners the larvae of concinna are known as "Red-humped Caterpil- 

 lars." They are sometimes very injurious to young apple trees. Where 

 apple trees are scarce, as in the neighborhood of Quebec city, they feed on 

 the blackberry, etc. The albifrons larvae are often abundant upon basswood. 

 They have tlie habit of hoisting the hinder parts of their bodies, and opening 

 their claspers wide until they resemble nippers. 



The larvae of D. ministra feed on the birch, hazel, butternut, etc. Those 

 of Melalopha inclusa Hubner spin webs upon the poplars. 



The four last named species are gregarious. 



The caterpillars belonging to the genera Cerura and Harpyia (the moths 

 of which are familiarly known as "Kittens") are furnished with extraor- 



