730 FIFTH REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 



bly there are are openings left for that purpose. I have not been successful in finding 

 out how the matter is managed. The pupa cell is covered at the outer extremity by 

 a thin layer of ratlier brittle pitch ; it may be a fact that this is sometimes destroyed 

 when the temporarily exposed inhabitant is victimized. Had the parasite occupied 

 the body of the host since the previous summer, it seems that the latter would have 

 been too much exhausted to have completed its transformations. But why guess out 

 the history of tliis parasite and its relations to the host? Now that its existence is 

 known of, the facts of its history may be readily determined. 



Professor Riley remarked tliat he had been very much interested in the paper. He 

 could not recollect any instance when the larval life had been so long, and the .^ge- 

 rida3 as a rule are supposed to require only one year to undergo their transformations. 

 As to the manner in which the Tachina reaches the ^geria larva, it is probable that 

 the latter must come to the surface rather often to expel the excrement from its bur- 

 row and the Tachina could take advantage of that. Once fastened the egg is very 

 secure. 



Professor Liutner asked whether the larva feeds on the pitch. Dr. Kellicott said 

 that the excrement is mixed with pitch, but the larva makes regular burrows in the 

 wood and undoubtedly feeds upon the wood. He said the larva is always more or 

 leds coated with pitch, and when removed from its burrow dies in a short time from 

 the stiffening of this substance. He assumed that the larva must come out some- 

 times for air, but did not see that there is any arrangement similar to that of Pwdisoa 

 scudderiana, which has a little trap-door arrangement which it can open at will. 



Larva. —When fully grown, 16™™ to 18""™ in length. The head is shining chestnut 

 brown, the mandibles black. The body is livid or blackish green, naked, with a 

 series of black dots, each dot giving rise to a single, rather stout bristle. The pro- 

 thoracic shield is blackish. The larva has three pairs of thoracic or true-jointed 

 feet, and four pairs of abdominal or false feet, besides anal claspers.* (Grote.) 



Chrysalis. — Cylindrical, smooth, narrow, blackish brown, about 16™™ in length. 

 The head is pointed, there being a pronounced clypeal protuberance ; the segments 

 are unarmed ; the anal plate is provided with a row of four spines, and two others, 

 more slender, on either side of the mesial line, below the first. (Grote.) 



Moth. — The wings expand 30™™. Blackish-gray, shaded with reddish on the basal 

 and terminal fields of the forewings. There are patches or lines of raised scales on 

 the basal field and on the anterior and darker portion of the median space. The 

 median lines are prominent, consisting of double black lines inclosing pale bands. 

 The inner line at the basal third is perpendicular, VV-shaped or dentate. The outer 

 line at the apical fourth is once more strongly indented below the costa. The black 

 component lines do not seem to be more distinct on one side than on the other of the 

 pale included bauds or spaces. The median field is blackish, becoming pale towards 

 the outer line ; it shows a pale, sometimes whitish cellular spot, surmounted with 

 raised scales. The terminal edge of the wing is again pale or ruddy before the ter- 

 minal black line. Wings blackish. The hind wings are pale yellowish white, shaded 

 with fuscous on the costal region and more or less terminally before the blackish 

 terminal black line ; fringe dusky. Beneath, the forewings are blackish, marked 

 with pale on the costa ; hind wings as on the upper surface. Body blackish gray, 

 with often a reddish cast on the thorax above and ou the vertex. The eyes are 

 naked, the labial palpi long, ascending, with a moderate terminal joint. Tongue 

 rather long. The gray abdomen is ringed with dirty white ; the legs are dotted 

 with pale. The species differs from the European ahietella by the raised scale tufts 

 on the wings, and Zeller declares it to be distinct from any European species. (Grote.) 



* Mr. Kellicott found that the larva hybernates, as Aprill'i he found the caterpillars 

 of various sizes from .25 to .7 inch in length. " None of those taken were * livid or 

 blackish green,' but dull white; nor do the hairs arise from a 'series of black dots,' 

 but from light-brown ones. I take it to be a case where a naked hybernating larva 

 is lighter than during the warm summer. Otherwise the caterpillars were as de- 

 scribed by Mr. Grote." 



