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Parorgyia Parallela Grote and its Variations. 

 By Otto Seifert. New York. 



While hunting for Nociuidce at night from July 8th to 13th (Green 

 County, Catskills), about 12 "Parorgyia" caterpillars were found on the 

 trunks of ( )ak trees ; two more specimens were found during the day-time 

 concealed under stones at the foot of Oaks ; between all these not the 

 slightest difference was discernible. They pupated from July 13th to 17th, 

 save two, "which had been infested by some species of Microgaster. The 

 first imago (^) appeared July 28th, all the rest during the first week of 

 August (4 $$, 7 9 9)- ^' ie difference in the coloration of the moths 

 was very remarkable, some $$ and 9 9 being the typical Parorgyia 

 parallela Grote, others {<$$ and 9 9) lacking altogether the charact- 

 eristic dark brown line along submedian vein. 



On August 1st a fine typical female and a male without the dark line 

 were confined in a large gauze-gage, they copulated during the night and 

 remained so till noon. About 250 eggs in two very regular triangular 

 patches were deposited by August 3rd ; they are smooth, apple-shaped,' 

 of a whitish-green color and were glued to the leaf by a silvery, shining 

 mass, intermixed with a few hairs. August 10th the eggs turned more 

 opaque, the slight excavation on the top of the egg seemed deeper with a 

 dark spot forming in the middle, and August 12th, early in the morning, 

 they commenced to hatch. The young larvae ate their egg-shells. 



August 15th. Length of caterpillars when crawling, about -f^ of an 

 inch. They arrange themselves while feeding in a semi-circle, wholly de- 

 nuding the leaves of their epidermis ; disturbed, they suspend themselves 

 on a fine silken cord, and so drop down. During the day-time they con- 

 ceal themselves on the underside of the leaves. They are whitish, head 

 dark brown, mouth parts yellowish ; ail segments with 8 fleshy, hair- 

 bearing protuberances or warts arranged as dorsal, supra-stigmatal, sub- 

 stigmatai and pedal lines, the substigmatal warts giving rise to very long 

 hair, spreading like a fringe. The protuberances on all segments are 

 light brown, variegated with pale yellow, except on 3rd and 8th seg- 

 ments, where dorsal warts are whitish. On first segment the two infra- 

 stigmatal warts are of about twice the size of the others, fleshy and pro- 

 je< ting forward, tipped with black and bearing long brushes of hair. These 

 brushes on first segment and the corresponding ones on anal ring are pro- 

 jecting and of about the size of the larva. A'enter whitish, transparent, 

 showing the line of intestines. 



First moult, August 1 8th. Length, when moving, -j 4 (7 of an inch. 

 Groundcolor greenish-white, also ventral area. Supra-stigmatal warts 

 yellowish-brown from their base, giving this area the appearance of a 



