30 



are paler yellow than the other spots, there are three oblique pale yellow spots 

 on the costa before the apex. The lower three spots of the submarginal band 

 are widened, so that the inner upper corner almost reaches the cell. Hind wings, 

 besides the yellow scales along the margin, have a discal row of four small 

 spots not reaching either margin. Underside as in the male, except that the 

 spots are prominent, and the spots near the costa of the fore wings are more 

 washed with white." 



Boisduval & LeConte simply figure the species without descrip- 

 tion; Walker's description is utterly inadequate, and Morris' erroneous 

 as he has confused the sexes; we present above French's description 

 as being the fullest, this author having somewhat amplified that given 

 by Riley in the Trans. St. Louis Acad. Sci., Ill, 333. 



Owing to the investigations of Riley this is the best known species 

 of the family. Sexual dimorphism is shown in the fact that the 5 , 

 besides being larger, has the yellow banding of the primaries broader 

 and the secondaries with a subterminal row of small yellow spots. 

 Concerning the range of variation our series has been too small to be 

 of use, but Riley writes that "thirteen specimens, all from larvae, that 

 fed at Blufifton, S. C, range in expanse from i^ to nearly 3 inches; 

 2 9 2 have the wings broader and the posterior border of primaries 

 more rounded than is usual, resembling Acgialc in this respect ; i 9 

 has the sp>ot (usually lacking) on primaries just within the middle of 

 the wing and below vein 2 ; while in 2 $ $ , and among them that 

 which I bred indoors, the yellow is pale almost to whiteness. Some 

 specimens captured in Florida by Mr. A. Bolter of Chicago, expand 

 only 13^ in. and the secondaries have five such distinct yellow spots 

 and such broad yellow borders that they look two-banded." 



There is but one generation annually, the imago occuring from 

 March to May, the eggs being laid singly on the leaves of various 

 Yuccas, and the young larvae hatching after 10 days. In the early 

 stages they live in a silken tube between the leaves but when about 

 J4 grown they burrow into the stalks ; hibernation takes place as 

 full grown larva in the root of the plant ; in the early spring the larva 

 ascends to the top of the burrow and pupates in a silk-lined funnel 

 projecting out of the mouth of the same. We append Riley's des- 

 cription of the egg, larval stages, and pupa: 



"Egg — Subconical, the top flattened or depressed, and with a slight central 

 dimple ; the attached base concave ; smooth but not polished. Color pale green 

 when laid, inclining to buff-yellow or brown before hatching. Diameter at base 

 2.5 mm.; height 1.8 mm.; the transverse diameter often varying slightly in two 



