— 14— 



lateral carinae divergent, subdistinct on anterior half, somev\hat prominent on 

 posterior half, not broken. Elytra long, narrow, strongly swollen, curve 5 mm. 

 from base, on costal border. Color dark brown, spotted with ochreous ; 

 markings of head and pronotum as in gracilis. Ochreous along costal edge 

 for about half the length, remainder and dot or swollen curve, black; no such 

 broad band as in lineata ; three interrupted ochreous bands pass from costa 

 over suture to costa ; dirty yellowish stripe along each lateral angle from base 

 of elytra nearly to apex of abdomen ; apex translucent, dusky. Basal two- 

 thirds of wings bright lemon-yellow, fuliginous band passing over outer third, 

 apex translucent, fuscous. Front and middle legs dirty ochreous; hind femora 

 ochreous, apex black, basal half of inner side shining fuscous with spot of 

 same color between it and apex; swollen and flattened at base. Hind tibiae 

 brownish olive, with band of yellow near base; tips of spines black. Hind 

 tarsi and spurs of tibiae piceous. Length to apex of elytra 28 mm.; elytra 

 19 mm.; hind femora 12 mm. (type in F. W. G. coll.) 



Habitat. — East Tennessee. 



Described from one female named in honor of Prof. E. W. 

 Doran, State Entomologist of Tennessee, who kindly furnished the 



specimen. 



» 



Preparatory Stages of Plusia Californica. 



BY HARRISON G. DYAR. . 



Egg. — Hemispherical rounded at the base, the apex with a 

 rounded depression. Finely creased vertically. Color pale yellow. 



First larval stage. — Head somewhat cordate, black and shiny. 

 Cervical spot and thoracic legs faintly blackish. Body pale yellow, 

 with black hairs. The larva eat the under part of the leaf and rest 

 on the abdominal legs with the body bent up in a closed loop, the 

 head touching the leaf. They walk like a geometer, as the last 

 three pairs of legs only are present. Duration of this stage three 

 days. 



Second larval stage. — Head whitish. Body green, with a trans- 

 verse row of black spots per segment bearing black hairs. A sub- 

 dorsal and a stigmatal whitish line. Joint 12 is enlarged, as in many 

 noctuid larvae. 



Third larval stage. — Head greenish, with minute black dots 

 and black hairs; jaws reddish. Body green, with white piliferous 

 dots having black centres. On joints 5, 6 and 7 is a distinct black 

 spot in the subdorsal space. A narrow subdorsal and broader stig- 

 matal white line, the former supplemented by two indistinct longi- 

 tudinal white streaks. Body furnished with a few black hairs. 

 Length about 7 mm. 



Duration of this stage three days. 



