body. L. 40 m. m. From eggs laid on burdock in July. En- 

 tered earth August 19. 



Plusia contexta. Grote. 



Eggs on grass, July 10. Somewhat flattened, much larger 

 than those oi precationis, ampla and similar species, somewhat flat- 

 tened, greenish-yellow. Hatched July 16. 



Young larva — Light grass-green, on each segment are two 

 transverse rows of large black warts, those of one row alternating 

 with those of' the other. From each of these warts projects a 

 stout, curved black hair. Head light brown, mottled with black, 

 and with a few black setiferous warts. Prolegs blackish, very 

 slender. L. 4.5 m. m. 



Before preparing for the first moult a row of dull scarlet 

 spots appear, anterior to and including the sub-dorsal row of 

 setiferous tubercles on all the segments, except i and i[. 



After 1st moult, July 20. Color as before. A white lat- 

 eral and faint sub-lateral streak. Setiferous warts less distinct. 

 Head with a few black setiferous tubercles. The red spots ap- 

 peared as before, though less distinct. L. 9 m. m. 



After 2d moult, July 20. Darker green. Two dorsal and 

 one sub-dorsal white streak. A clear lateral white band. Setifer- 

 ous tubercles less distinct, neither they nor the hairs they bear 

 seem to increase after the first stage. Red spots before moult- 

 ing scarcely visible. L. 14 m. m. 



After 3d moult, July 25. Lateral band distinct cream- 

 colored. Two dorsal and and two sub-dorsal whitish streaks. The 

 setiferous tubercles very small, only those on the head, the first 

 three segments, together with a row situated just above the lat- 

 eral line, are black. A semi-circular lateral row of black spots on 

 head. L. 26 m. m. 



After 4th moult, July 28. Lateral band more yellow. 

 Dorsal ones more distinct. Indications of suffused dorsal yellow 

 patches. Else as before. L. 30 m. m. 



After 5th moult, July 31. Mature larva. Color light 

 grass-green, darker inferiorly. A contrasting, creamy-yellow lat- 

 eral band. Two dorsal and two sub-dorsal cream-colored lines, 

 the former more distinct. A dull yellow, suffused dorsal patch, 

 more or less distinct in different specimens, sometimes wanting 

 on posterior 7 and anterior 8, extending nearly to the lateral line. 

 A similar suffused spot is sometimes found on seg. 9, 10. Head 

 green, with a few minute points and hairs. Slender, somewhat 

 flattened. L. 45 m. m. Spun a slender, elongated white cocoon, 

 pointed at both ends, August 4, changing to a pupa August 6, 

 and producing the imago August 17, a period of thirty-eight 

 days and a few hours, the eggs having been laid during the even- 

 ing of July 10. 



A brood of Plusia Putnanii, ampla and Epigcea were brought 

 through the third moult, but all died before completing the fourth 



