SPRUCE SPAN-WORMS. 841 



20. The spruce therina. 

 Therina fervidaria Hiibner. 



This common insect feeds in Maine on the spruce, as the pupa was 

 found early in August, and the moth was disclosed August 21. The 

 larva was unfortunately not described. Abbot bred it in Georgia from 

 the Halesia diptera, and from his manuscript sketches, preserved in the 

 library of the Boston Society of Natural History, we prepared the fol- 

 lowing description. The pupa is described from our own specimen. 



Larva. — Body cylindrical, smooth ; head of the same width as the body, which is 

 yellowish greeu above, pale purplish below. Two fine, blackish, lateral lines, with 

 a pale line above. 



Pupa. — Rather slender, whitish gray, slashed and spotted with brown on the side, 

 but much less so than in Th. geminudaria ; head, thorax, and wings nearly unspotted ; 

 terminal spine and bristles as in Th. seminudaria. Length, 12™™. 



Moth. — Pale ocherous, more so than usual, head and front of the thorax and 

 antennae deep ocherous. Wings dusky, speckled with smoky spots (though varying 

 in degree of irroration). Wings well angulated, the angle of ihe fore wings often 

 acute, on the hind wings forming a slight tail. Outer line dark brown, bordered 

 externally with ocherous. Inner line situated either onor a little within the inner third 

 of the wing, a little curved. Discal dot dark, distinct, sometimes wanting on the 

 hind wings. Outer line sinuate, or zigzag, varying greatly, the angle on the first 

 median A^enule being slight or very marked on both wings ; on the hind wings a 

 single line only. Beneath, much paler; the lines re-appear, but are diffuse and 

 smoky. Legs, tibiae, and tarsi of the two pairs of fore legs brown, hind legs pale 

 ocherous. Expanse of wings, .38 inch. 



21. Tephrosia cribrataria Guen. 

 Order Lepidoptera ; family Phal.kmd^. 



The caterpillar of this geometrid moth occurred on the spruce at 

 Brunswick, Me., June 6. The specimen was sent to the office of the 

 Entomologist at Washington and there bred, while it is stated in the 

 Department note-book that the pupa rested on the ground and was not 

 attached to any leaves, etc., and the structure of the cremaster agrees 

 with its subterranean habits. 



Larva. — Not described. 



Pupa. — Body rather thick and stout ; color light brown (but not so light as that of 

 Caripeta divisata) ; siirface coarsely pitted. Cremaster large, stout, and long, rough 

 and tuberculated above at the base, and with no spines at the base or end, the point 

 being long, smooth, and acute. 



22. The evergreen span-worm. 



Thera contractata Packard. 



Order Lepidoptera ; family Phal^nid.e. 



A very common caterpillar on various evergreen trees, such as the 

 spruce, white pine, hackmatack, and the bush or common Juniper, is a 

 little green caterpillar, striped with white, which is so assimilated in 

 color to the glaucous green leaves with their whitish under side as to 

 enable the caterpillar to escape ordinary observation. 



