43 



the oak, but it also eats those of the ehn. It is a small worm, 

 when mature about an inch long. The head is white, as is the 

 body, over which are scattered tut'ts of slate colored hairs, and there 

 are also tufts of yellowish hairs. IMiesc worms have stinging 

 power, so that if the caterpillar is handled a sharp pricking sensa- 

 tion is felt, and the skii: soon becomes red. Of this Dr. Lintner, 

 who has published in the 24th Report N. Y. Museum, a detailed 

 account of the transformations of this species, remarks, "A critical 

 examination of the larva, by a partial removal of its hairs, revealed 

 the existence of clusters of short, slender, acute, white bristles di- 

 rected upward from the several tubercles of the lateral and subdor- 

 sal rows, the presence of which had previously been unnoticed, 

 under their covering of long hairs surrounding and eflectually con- 

 cealing them. Upon touching the bristles with the hand, they 

 were found to be the source of the stingexperienced." The lai-vai 

 make their cocoons toward the end of summer. The moth is of a 

 dully yellowish red, touched on the sides with drab or slate color. 



The stinging property mentioned above is possessed by only a 

 few caterpillars, and is doul^tless to these a very serviceable means 

 of defence. 



Parasa chlorls^ H. ScJi.^ is reported by Mr. H. Edwards as 

 feeding upon the elm. 



E))iprctia stiinulca^ Clem. 



A very richly colored moth is sometimes found in the larval 

 state feeding upon the elm. This has no common name, its scien- 

 tific name being Empretia stiinulca^ Clem. It is a rare species, 

 and on that account not especially destructive to the plants upon 

 which it feeds. The moth is a very handsome, dark reddish brown. 

 The wings expand about an inch and a half. The larva is a 

 curiously formed insect, about an inch antl a half long, very thick 

 in proportion to the length, and cut ofl' abruptly at each end. The 

 general color is a very pretty, bright shade of green, with a large 

 oval spot of red-brown bordered with a band of white on the back 

 At each end of the body is a larger and a smaller pair of horns, 

 which are covered with spines. These have something of the 

 same poisonous quality as have the spines of I.agoa mentioned 

 above. These larva; feed on quite a variety of plants, the elm 



among others. 



Liniacodcs scapha., Harris. 



The caterpillar of this moth would hardly be recognized as such 



