148 FIP^TU REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 



dense cocoon, but afterwards died. Another was bred, the moth ap- 

 pearing June 18. It was a female, and when at rest sat with its tail in 

 the air, as if standing on its head. 



Mr. IS. Lowell Elliott assures me that he has bred the moth, which he 

 has kindly shown me, from this larva.* He tells me that it feeds not 

 only on the oak, but also on the wild plum and cherry, and that it is a 

 low feeder. 



The following notes on this species have been given by Professor 

 Eiley, who has bred it: 



October 24, 1882: Found to-day in Maryland three couchiiopod larvae feeding on 

 oak and agreeing with figure in Harris' Correspondence (ii, 7). November 2, 1882: 

 Found several of these larvte, while sugaring at night, feeding on various plants. 

 June 30, 1883: One of the moths issued to-day. July 16, 1883: One more issued. 

 October 4, 1«83: Found two larvae in Virginia feeding on Q. alba. Octobers, 1883: 

 Several more were found on Q. alba, Q. rubra, and Alnus incana. October 10, 1883: 

 Two of the larvae have spun up. Found a few more on oak. There is but little 

 variation in the color of this larva, only in the red spots on the dorsal space ; some of 

 them are very pale and sometimes the posterior one is absent. From one of the 

 larvae a Gordius issued. September 29, 1885 : Found one of the larvae on oak ; it was 

 parasitized by a tachinid, which pupated October 11, 1885, the fly issuing October 16, 

 1886. (Unpublished notes.) 



Larva. — Body broad and flat, the prothoracic overhung by the mesothoracic seg- 

 ment; the V-shaped incision so broad as to be almost obsolete, the body being very 

 broad; head pale green, a rather narrow median dorsal ridge, contracting in the 

 middle and widening a little towards each end ; it is hollow in the middle, and 

 along the sides are ten small, narrow, flattened acute conical flaps, edged with green 

 sharp spinules. The first pair are short, blunt and red ; of the other nine pairs the 

 anterior ones are the larger. The front edge of the body is thickened, somewhat 

 revolute, and tinged with red. Along the side of the body, on the thin projecting 

 edge, is a row often flat, fleshy, triangular flaps, the edges with white, uneven hairs. 

 From in front of the base of each flap an oblique sinuous transverse ridge passes to 

 the submedian dorsal ridge. There are two rows of scar-like round spots in the 

 depressions between the lateral ridges, two scars in each depression. The spiracles 

 are not visible seen sideways ; the larva has to be turned over to discover them ; 

 they are slightly marked and situated under the projecting ridges of the side of the 

 body. Behind the middle of the dorsal ridge are two red conica' tubercles, whose 

 sharp points nearly touch each other in the median line of the b idy. Another but 

 smaller pair, of red warts is situated half way between the first pair and the end of 

 the body. The body is pea-green— a little brighter green than the glaucous under 

 side of the oak leaf on which it feeds— and a little paler beneath than above. 

 Length, IS""™; width, 7"^^, not including the projections; height, 3..5™'". Described 

 from a larva found in Providence, R. I. 



Moth. — Body rather stout; fore wings with transverse waves or creases due to the 

 arrangement of the scales, but with no markings; dull, pale, cinnamon-brown, the 

 hind wings slightly darker; the fore wings are not so wide as in Limacodes, and they 

 are very slightly subfalcate. Expanse, .90 to 1.20 inches. 



* This and other Limacodes larvae, most of them colored conspicuously, suffer little 

 from the attacks of birds, since they are protected by their nettling hairs, rendering 

 them distasteful. Others, like Lithacodes Jasciola, which feed on the under side of 

 leaves and are entirely green, escape the observation of their enemies. Phobetron 

 pithccium, on the other hand, mimics a brown, irregular dead patch of a leaf. Another 

 aid to or means of safety in the smooth-bodies species is their slow gliding motion, 

 which renders them less liable to be observed by passing birds. 



