ATTACKING THE LEAVES. 



265 



those of the female thread-like. Fig. 274 represents the male. 

 Should this insect ever prove destructive, it may be subdued 

 by the treatment recommended for No. 140, the species last 

 described. 



No. 142. — The American Procris. 



Procris Americana Harris. 



The larvse of this destructive insect feed in flocks, arranged 

 in a single row on the under side of the vine leaves, as shown 

 in Fig. 275. The egg-clusters from which these larvse pro- 

 ceed, consisting of 



twen ty eggs or more, " ' "'^ 



are fastened by the 

 moth to the under 

 side of the leaves. 

 While young, the 

 little caterpillars eat 

 only the soft tissues 

 of the leaves, leaving 

 the fine net-work of 

 veins untouched, as 

 shown on the right 

 of the figure, but 

 as they grow older 

 tiiey devour all but 

 the larger veins, as 

 shown on the oppo- 

 site side. They acquire full growth in August, when they 

 measure about six-tenths of an inch in length, are of a yellow 

 color, slightly hairy (see Fig. 276, a), with a transverse row 

 of black spots on each segment ; they feed with their heads 

 towards the margin, and gradually retreat as the leaf is de- 

 voured. When full grown, they disperse, and, retiring to 

 some sheltered spot or crevice, construct their tough, oblong- 

 oval cocoons, one of which is shown at c in the figure, within 

 which in about three days they change to shining brown chrys- 

 alids (6) about three-tenths of an inch long, from which the 



