184 Fiftieth Report on the State Museum 



Although this handsome insect is native to the State of New York, the 

 moth is rarely seen. The thickly-haired caterpillars of this and allied 

 species are frequently seen in the autumn crawling rapidly, as though in 

 haste to find suitable shelter for the winter before the setting in of cold 

 weather. This particular species can not be considered injurious in this 

 latitude, as it is comparatively rare, but in some of the southern States it 

 is quite abundant, though not destructive. 



The Egg. 



Eggs of a moth sent me October 6, 1884, by Mrs. J. P. Ballard, of 

 eastern Pennsylvania, and received by her from Orlando, Florida, proved 

 to be of this insect. They were small, 0.025 """^^"^ (4^0) i" diameter, 

 round, irregularly punctate, changing before hatching from whitish to 

 reddish and finally purplish (Mr. Dyar gives the color as yellowish 

 pearly gray). The duration of this stage was about five days. Less than 

 one-half of the shell was eaten by the larva upon its escape. 



While many of the Arctians are known to be quite prolific, this one is 

 markedly so, for Mr. Dyar records an instance in which he obtained 

 2274 eggs from one individual. 



Notes on the Larval Stages. 



October 7th. Larva after hatching 0.05 inch long, yellowish, with 

 brown dorsal tubercles on segments 4 and 5 (apodal), 8, 9, 10 and 12, ap- 

 pearing, from above as if two-banded ; head reddish, with a conspicuous 

 black spot on each side over the ocelli; hair nearly as long as the body; 

 legs long. Larva feeds readily on plantain. 



October i5lh. First molting commenced ; on the i6th, 10 had molted, 

 and the last on the 2oih. Appearance much as before, except that the 

 subdorsal spots on segments 4, 5, 8, 9 and 10 are dark reddish-brown, 

 extending around and below the tubercles — those on segments 4 and 5 

 also embracing the lateral tubercles, making almost a band upon 

 these segments, except as separated by a pale dorsal line. Terminal 

 segment without brown. Head brownest at the slightly lobed apex. 

 Hairs fuscous, longer than the diameter of the body. 



October 19th. Second molt commenced; on 20th, 12 had molted. 

 Length, 0.2 in. Hairs black, about the diameter of body in length. Head 

 pale reddish, a blackish crescent over the ocelli. Body honey yellow. 

 Segment 3 with four brown tubercles dorsally; segments 4 and 5 brown 

 dorsally and laterally; segments 8 to 10, brown dorsally only (over the 

 two subdorsal rows of tubercles). The molting was completed on the 



