54 



FoRTv-FiRST Report on the State Museum. 



The Cocoon. 

 Its dull brown, felt-like cocoon represented in Figure 26, usually 

 placed on a branch or in a crotch of a tree, has 

 a protuberance on its back which almost 

 exactly counterfeits a winter bud. It is pro- 

 vided with an accurately fitting- hinged trap- 

 door, which is skillfully built by the larva at 

 the time of the construction of the cocoon, instead of being sub- 

 sequently cut by its jaws, as are many of the lids of cocoons of the 

 Lepidoptera, Hymenoj)tera, etc. For a detailed account of the pecu- 

 liar structure of the lid in the cocoons of Lagoa, and evidences of 

 design shown therein, the article on Lagoa crispata previously cited, 

 may be referred to . 



Fig. jg.— Cocoon of Lagoa 



OPEKCULAKIS. 



Nephelodes violans Guenee. 



The Bronze-colored Gut-worm. 

 (Ord. Lepidoptera: Fam. NocTuiDiE.) 

 [For Bibliography, see First Rapt, on the Insects of New York, 1882, p. 99.] 

 Caterpillars of the above named species were received under date of 

 March 30th, from Prof. D. P. Penhallow, of McGill Uni- 

 versit}', at Montreal, which had been taken a few days 

 previously from a large number traveling over the surface 

 of the snow, and had therefore,- from the vmusual nature 

 of such an appearance, excited no little curiosit}'. Not 

 being able to recognize the species in its immature state, 

 examples were sent to Washington for comparison with 

 the alcoholic specimens in the National Museum, where 

 they were identified as Nejohelodes violans — the bronze- 

 colored cut-worm, a notable demonstration of which in the 

 pastures and meadows of St. Lawrence county, N. Y., in 

 the spring of 1881,* is narrated in my First Report Ins. 

 N. Y. Figure 27 represents the cater jjillar in its mature size. 

 Upon requesting from Prof. Penhallow that he would 

 obtain all the particulars possible of so intex'estiug an 

 occurrence as the appearance of this caterpillar in winter, 

 under the conditions named, in such a northern latitude, 

 he kindly sent the following communication, from Mr. . 

 David Robertson, of Brockville, Ontario: 



Fig. 27. — Cat- 



erpillai- of 

 Nephelodes 



VIOLANS. 



Occurrence of the Larvae in Winter, in Canada. 



The larvte were first noticed on the afternoon of March 25. On the 

 previous day we had had a sudden thaw, with high winds and very 

 heavy raius during the evening, and before morning the temperature 



