346 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



indicated that there was probably an additional molting prior to pupa- 

 tion, but the rearing of the species later by Dr Packard seems to show 

 conclusively that there are but four molts — the same number found by 

 Mr Edwards (see citation). 



During the following month (September 1869), from the 7th to the 

 16th, 14 individuals were taken by me, and as many more by Mr Meske, 

 of Albany, from the lower branches of a number of pines [Piiius strobi/s) 

 bordering a road in the Forbes manor, at Bath. Their presence on a 

 tree was in most instances readily revealed by the large pellets of their 

 excrement lying upon the smooth gravelled road beneath, when, from the 

 robust form of the larva in marked contrast with the slender leaves sur- 

 rounding it, its resting place was not difficult to detect. On the 7th one 

 was taken which had just completed its last molting ; on the 9th one was 

 observed in the process of molting, which, from some irregularity 

 attending it, had fallen to the ground ; and on the same day one which 

 had already assumed the brown or tawny hue indicative of its full 

 maturity was taken while moving down the trunk of a tree to seek its 

 place for pupation. The most advanced one of the others collected 

 matured on die nth, and transformed to a pupa on the surface of the 

 ground on the i6th of the month. Most of the remainder entered 

 the ground, where they constructed cells of moderate dimensions for 

 their pupal transformation. 



The pupae were kept in a cold room during the winter, and about 

 March i were removed to a warm apartment. April 28, May 3 and 7, 

 male imagos emerged, after which females were disclosed till near the 

 end of the month. Dr Dyar reports (see citation) that from June 20 

 to August 4, 40 examples of the moth were captured at electric lights in 

 Poughkeepsie, N. Y., of which 16 were taken on July 9. 



In September 1870, diligent search was again made for the larva in 

 the locality at Bath, where it had been abundant the j^receding year, as 

 above recorded, without finding a single individual. Its non-occurrence 

 indicates a marked periodicity in the appearance of the species or, possi- 

 bly, an exhausted locality from the collections made. 



Description of the egg. The following is Dr Packard's description 



of the egg of this insect: 



Length, 3 mm; breadth, 2.5 mm; thickness, 2 mm. Flattened ellip- 

 tic, ends alike, white, with an equatorial, smooth, distinct ridge. 

 The shell is white, the surface under a high power triplet is seen to be 

 finely pitted, the pits being shallow and not closely crowded. Under a 

 half-inch objective the pits are seen to be shallow, and not often with a 

 definite raised edge: often there is a boss or bead in the center.. Arising 



