19 



ing from the numbers Infesting the bushes, they appeared to prefer the black currant to 

 either the red or the gooseberry. By the ITuh of the month they were well f^rown, and ap- 

 Pi„ ,., pearcd as shown in fig. 12, (after Riley). They are 



then nearly an inch and a quarter long, of a whitish 

 colour with a number of black spots on each ring or 

 segment ; a wide yellow .stripe down the back, and 

 another of the same character along each side, the 

 latter somewhat broken. The underside is white 

 with a slight tinge of pink, also spotted with black, 

 and with a wide yellow stripe down the middle. 



The length of the chrysalis see fig. 1", is 

 about half an inch ; it is of a dark reddish brown 

 (— --* colour, paler between the segments, appearing under 

 -O^ a magnifying glass roughened with minute punc- 

 •lurcs and irregularities of surface ; the abdominal 

 segments are dotted with round punctures of vary- 

 ing sizes, while the terminal one is armed with two 

 short sharp brown spines. By the 2nd or .3rd ot 

 July, fresh specimens of the moth fig. 13, were on 

 the wing becoming much more abundant about the 

 Gth, when they were observed flying in almost 

 every direction about the bushes. J he moth when 

 its wings are expanded measures an inch or more 

 across ; the wings are of a pale yellowish colour 

 with several dusky spots, varying in s'ze and form, 

 and more distinct in .'ome s]jccimens than in others ; .sometimes these 

 spots are so arranged as to form one or two irregular bands across 

 the wings. About the middle of July, some of these active speci- 

 mens were captured, and one of the females, confined in a box by it- 

 self, laid a large number of eggs, 140 in all, between the 22ud and 

 2;5rd of July. These were laid loose in the box excepting 24 of 

 them which were .slightly attached to the side-s. The egg when 

 viewed through a micro.scope is a very beautiful object ; its length 

 .,ths of an inch, width nearly YO'pths ; in form it is an elongated oval, rather 

 blunt at each end. Colour dull yellowish grey, sometimes with a bluish tinge with the sur- 

 face honeycombed with regular depressions, the ridges bordering each cell having several 

 bright minute whitish dots, which trive the egg a very pretty and brilliant appearance when 

 brought under the strong light of the condenser of the microscope. At the present date, 

 December 1st, these eggs are still uiichani;ed, excepting slightly in colour, owing to the 

 developing larvaj showing through the semi-transparcut ,->hell in .spots, the larva; in all prob- 

 ability will not emerge until early spring. As there is only one brood of this in.sect with us 

 during the year, it is never likely to ]irove very troublsome ; a seasonable application of helle- 

 bore will in any case keep it within bounds. 



The WniTRjiARKET) Tnssocic Catf.upii.lar, On/i/ia levmdi<ma. 

 The orgyia caterpillar is always common in our section of Ontario. The clusters of eggs 

 from which the larvie are produced are quite numerous in winter on our iruit trees especi- 

 ally those of the apple, pear and plum, they are securely fastened to the tree along with a 

 dead leaf or two by threads of silk. 



Fig 14, (after Riley), rejircsents the full- 

 crown caterpillar which, when about to change 

 to a chrysalis.selccts a leaf on which to undergo 

 this important transformation, and this leaf in 

 ^ueh a position that while the chrysalis is 

 firmly attached to it on the one side. It is 

 firmly .secured by silken threads to the under 

 side of a branch on the other, thus securing 

 the leaf from falling to the ground in the Au- 



^i^-. 14. 



