— iSi — 



Tiiese immediately deserled the leaC wiili ilie exception ofaboula dozen, 

 and scattered over the cage attaching themselves in threes and fours to the 

 wire-cloth covering and various parts of the framework. 



The ensuing winter was exceptionally severe and an examination 

 in March revealed the fact that all the larvae under muslin covers on the 

 tree had perished and a large pro[MMtion of those in the cage had shared 

 their fate, in spite of my utmost care. 



In April when the leaves beg.m to put forth I placed tlie leaf con- 

 taining the few survivors on the ground near the base of the tree andse* 

 cured it there. A few days later I was much gratified to observe that the 

 little caterpillars had awakened from their winter nap and were slowly 

 ascending the tree. Apparently thev had not moulted immediately on 

 arousing from dormancy, as no exuviae were found on the leaf. Expect- 

 ing to be absent from home for a few weeks, I did not re-take any oJ 

 these larvcE and of course soon lost track of them as they made their way 

 up into the tree. Limited as this observation was it proved, what hatl 

 heretofore been merely inferred, that some unerring and inscrutable in 

 stinct guides this small and feeble larva back to its fostering food plant 

 in the spring, from whatever direction the leaf on which it hibernated 

 liad been blown. Undoubtedly many that survive the perils of the 

 winter, perish on the vernal journey, although it is probable that the 

 leaves bearing these dormant colonies being more heavily freighted than 

 the others, are not born to so great a distance by the wind. 



On my return home, about the first of June, I immediately made 

 search for these Apabira larvae, but was able to collect but three or four, 

 nearly full grown, of ch'ton and two of ccltis. Considering the vast 

 numbers that were on the tree the previous autumn one is almost appalled 

 at the waste of life permitted by Nature. The unusual severit}- of the 

 winter may have been the cause of the remarkable scarcity of these but- 

 terflies in this locality the present summer. But in any case the lack of 

 correspondence in numbers between the production and development ol 

 these butterflies suggests an ill adjustment to conditions of environment. 



The President, remarking upon the interesting observations con- 

 tamed in the paper, stated that the butterfly had not to his knowledge 

 been discovered in the State of New Yerk. although two localities for its 

 food plant, Cellis occidentalis were known — the one upon the Hudson 

 river, near Hudson, and the other, a solitary tree of large size on the line 

 of the N. Y. Central & H. R. Rail-road, near Niles Hill in Montgomery 

 County, which for many years had been an object of interest to travelers 

 through the valley as "the unknown tree". 



Some general discussion upon insects and their habits followed, 

 when the club adjourned sine die. 

 Entomologica Americana. 25 December i8S6. 



