104 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



June 29, 1880. One larva from the stomach of a blue-bird {Sialia 

 sialis), received from Professor S. A. Forbes, of Normal, 111. 



April 30, 1881. The larvae not uncommon in ground at base of rocks 

 on High Island, near Washington, D. C . 



Published Observations upon the Larvae. 



Very little has been published of the habits of the larva. Prof. Riley, 

 'va.\o\. in oit\iQ American E^itomologist (p. 215), in noting his iden- 

 tification of it in the stomach of a blue- bird, states : — 



*• We have been familiar with it for many years, having reared it in 

 1871, after many previous futile efforts. It is quite common in JSTorthern 

 Illinois and Missouri m early spring, when it may be found in blue- 

 grass sod, generally concealed under some stone or board during the 

 day, though we have occasionally found it feeding on grass stalks in 

 the hot sun during the day time. The larva is found full-grown as 

 soon as spring opens, so that it undoubtedly passes the winter, like so 

 many other cut-worms, in the larva state and of different sizes. The 

 insect is quite common and wide-spread, for we have found that the 

 larva had been common m 1871 around Ithaca, N. Y., on blue-grass 

 and under clover.'' 



The larva was first described by Prof. French, Assistant State Ento- 

 mologist of Illinois, in the Canadian Entomologist, vol. x, April, 1878, 

 from examples found by him during the last of April and through the 

 month of May, in grassy places in Washington county. 111. These 

 changed underground, early in June, to dark brown pupae, from which 

 the perfect insects were obtained about the middle of September. 



While in confinement they fed freely upon corn, grass and Poly- 

 gonum aviculare, which they ate without seeming to prefer one more 

 than another. 



In Dr. Thomas' 1th Amiual Report on the Insects of Illinois, Prof. 

 French Includes the species in an account tliere given of several coru 

 depredators, stating: " As corn forms one of the food-plants of the 

 caterpillar, it may be placed here among corn insects, though the ex- 

 tent to which it may injure corn is unknown, for I fail to find any 

 record of the insect, except in its moth state." He found it to possess, 

 when fed in confinement, the same habits as those of the larvae of 

 Agrotis and allied genera, and therefore suggests the name of •'' the 

 smooth cut- worm " for it. The first specimens were found April 28th, 

 concealed in the grass, at which time it was almost an inch long and 

 of nearly a black color, During the month of May, others and larger 

 and of a lighter color were found, the features of wnich are described, 

 and some observations upon their habits in confinement given. He 

 adds in concluding: " Should they multiply so as to be destructive to 



