18 THE LEPIDOPTERIST 



London, 1886, p. XVI) called attention to some re- 

 markable processes upon the underside of the larvae 

 of Catocala, a character which is said to exist only in 

 the Catocalincc. Upon the underside of the two 

 European species, C. fraxini and C. electa, he found a 

 curious marking between the legs of the second and 

 third thoracic segments, and a further series of marks 

 of various forms upon the third, to seventh abdominal 

 segments. These markings are of a dark mahogany 

 brown color, fading into dull orange all around. 

 (These markings in our species are black, brown, or- 

 ange, red or pink). In connection with them there 

 is found to be, when examined with a strong lens, 

 a development of some strange process of a pocket-like 

 appearance. These pockets are subcutaneous and are 

 not actually upon the surface, as they appear through 

 the transparent cuticle to be, and vary considerably in 

 grade of development amongst the segments. The 

 functions of these processes do not seem to be clearly 

 understood. In the North American species these 

 glands and processes are also present. 



Notes on the Habits of Larvae of Catocala 



By William Beutenmuller, Xezv York. 



All the larvze of Catocala are arboreal and as a 

 general rule nocturnal, while those of a few species 

 are also sometimes diurnal in habit (badia, anti- 

 nympha, mulierciila, etc.). They lie hidden and motion- 

 less during the day in the crevices of the bark, usually 

 at the base of the tree or shrub and often in the grass 

 nearby. At dusk they become active and ascend the 

 trees to their respective feeding places. They feed 

 on the young and tender leaves on the tips of the 

 branches. They eat only the soft parts leaving the 

 midrib and usually the hard lateral veins. In color 

 nearly all are brown or gray, varying from light to 

 dark, owing to the more or less density of their black 

 markings. The larvae of C. illccta and amestris are 

 gayly colored and differ in this respect from all other 



