364 FIFTH REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 



Larva. — Body cylindrical, the head pale brown; the body pale greenish white, 

 with a red median dorsal line from the fifth to the ninth segment; on the ninth seg- 

 ment are two irregular chrome-yellow patches, which are sometimes wanting. 

 (Clemens.) 



Moth. — Antenna} dark brown ; front of head silvery white, the tuft dark brown 

 mixed with grayish; thorax dark brown; fore-wings golden yellow above the fold, 

 and dark ciuereons, somewhat dusted with blackish beneath it. About the middle 

 of the wing is an oblique silvery costal streak, black-margined on both sides, extend- 

 ing to the fold ; another beyond the middle, meeting nearly in tbe center of the wing 

 at an angle, a dorsal streak from the inner margin, the former black-margined on 

 both sides, the latter internally; another costal streak near the tip, with an in- 

 ternal circular black margin opposite to a dorsal streak of the same hue, and joined 

 or nearly joined to it. Jnst behind the ajjical spot is a straight silvery streak, black- 

 margined internally. A black round spot at the tip of the fore-wings. Hind wings 

 shining dark gray. (Clemens.) 



9. The locust depressaria. 



Bepressaria roMniella Packard. 



Order Lepidoptera ; family Tineid^. 



Occasionally late in June defoliating the branches, a small green larva with a thick 

 body, black head, and transforming late in July to a light brick-red moth, spotted 

 irregularly with yellow. 



The following account of this destructive moth is taken from our 

 * Guide to the Study of Insects.' The moths of the Tineid genus De- 

 pressaria comprise rather large species, in which the fore wings are 

 unusually broad and oblong. The abdomen is flattened above, with pro- 

 jecting scales at the sides. The larvse are extremely active and feed on 

 a variety of substances ; some in rolled-up leaves of composite plants, 

 some in the leaves and others in the umbels of the umbelliferous plants. 

 Many of the worms descend from the plant on the slightest agitation, 

 so that considerable caution is necessary in attempts to collect them. 

 The full-fed larvae descend to the ground and change to pupae among 

 the fallen leaves. The perfect insects have the peculiarity of sliding 

 about when laid on their backs. 



During the summer of 1868 a large locust tree overhanging our gar- 

 den in Salem, Mass., was attacked by the present species to such an 

 extent that some of the branches were nearly stripped of their leaves. 

 This moth we described under the name of Depressaria robiniella (Guide 

 to Study of Insects, PI. 8, fig. 14). The larva is thick-bodied, with a 

 black head, and is green, the cervical shield being green. It devours 

 the leaves, drawing them together by threads, and it also eats the 

 flower buds. It was most abundant in the last week of June. It turned 

 to a chrysalis July 8, and in about two weeks the moth appeared. 



The moth. — The head, palpi, and fore- wings are light brick-red, spotted irregularly 

 "with yellow, and the a ntenniB are slate- brown. The fore-wings are a little darker 

 in the middle, especially towards the inner edge. There is a submargiual darker 

 brown band near the outer edge, which does not reach the costa, and on the outer 

 edge is a row of minute black dots. The hind wings and abdomen are of a pale slate- 



