SPRUCE BUD-WORMS. 849 



(d) The base of the fore wings clear, deep ocherous, and ocherous streaks on the 

 thorax. 



(e) The most aberrant form, and which would readily be referred to a distinct spe- 

 cies if it had not been reared from the same kind of caterpillar. It has a dark graj'- 

 ish-white head, and two black bands on the thorax. The fore wings are dark gray, 

 finely lined and mottled with black, but interrupted by a broad, very conspicuous, 

 clear ocherous baud extending from the base of the wing to the apex, inclosing the 

 median vein and submedian fold. There is only a single high black tuft on the lower 

 edge of the basal third of the wing. One appeared July 30, and another August 20. 

 Hind wings dark slate gray, with an obscure ocherous slash at the apex. 



The following description was prepared by Professor Fernald from 

 five specimens sent him : 



Head and palpi ashy gray, the latter a little darker on the outside. 



The thorax is dark ashy gray with a few blackish cross-streaks on the forward part 

 of it, and there is a stout thoracic tuft tipped with reddish brown on the posterior 

 part. 



The fore wings are ashy gray, variegated with black and white, with a few yellow- 

 ish scales intermingled. The basal pitch is black, more or less broken with whitish, 

 and has three black tufts of scales on the outer edge — one on the fold, another on 

 the cell, and the third between this last and the costa. An oblique band, white 

 on the costa, but suffused below, starts from the basal third of the costa and crosses 

 the wing outside of the basal patch. The inner margin of this band is slightly an- 

 gulated, the most prominent angle being on the fold. The outer side of the band 

 gives off a prominent angle on the cell, which ends at a large tuft of black scales 

 near the end of the cell, and there are several other tufts along the outer margin 

 of this band. The surface of the outer. part of the wing is of a somewhat leaden 

 blue color, especially when worn, and mottled with black, white, and yellow scales, 

 but the black is mostly in coarse streaks containing several small tufts. The costa 

 beyond the middle is blackish, with three small white spots at nearly equal dis- 

 tances apart. The fringes of the fore wings, of the upper side of the hind wings, and 

 of the abdomen are darker gray with a silky luster. The under side of the hind wings 

 is lighter, with darker cross-streaks or reticulations, which are much brighter towards 

 the apex. The under side of the fore wings is dark gray, except along the costal 

 border, where the markings of the upper side are dimly reproduced. The legs are 

 brown on the outside, but pale yellowish withiu and on the end of the joints. This 

 seems to be a very variable species, and at first sight one might think that there 

 were more than one species. 



One variety has the top of the head yellowish, and the oblique baud and outer 

 part of the wing dull whitish aud slightly touched with yellowish. Another va- 

 riety is quite dark, and has a broad bright ocher-yellow band through the middle of 

 the fore wing from the base to the apex. 



A third variety, in very poor condition and bred on white spruce in Ashland, Me., 

 has the head white and the basal part of the foro wings white with only slight traces 

 of the black tufts and markings. Expanse of wings, 14™™ (Fernald). 



30. The fir tortrix. 



Torlrix packardiana Fernald. 



This moth was bred from the fir on Peaks Island, Casco Bay, Maine, 

 and sent to Professor Fernald, who regarded it as new and sent us the 

 following description : 



Head whitish ; palpi and thorax ashy gray ; fore wings with a whitish ground 

 color and marked with black, which is more or less overlaid with pale bluish or 

 whitish scales. The black basal patch has an obtuse angle pointing out on the mid- 



5 ENT 54 



