136 



PSYCHE. 



[June-Sept. iSq4. 



From the subdorsal warts on joints 2-4, S-ii 

 and 13 arise tufts of plumed white hairs 

 appearing "mouldy" on the ends, intermixed 

 with bristly yellow hairs. On joints 5, 6, 7 

 and 12 the warts of rows i and ii bear a series 

 of large square black tufts, mixed with white 

 plumed hairs especially at the sides of the 

 tufts, where also a few bristly yellow hairs 

 occur. The tuft on joint 7 is much less black 

 than the others. Dorsally on joints 10 and 

 II a median whitish retractile tubercle with 



flattened top. 



Last i/o^c— Head black, whitish above the 

 mouth. Body pale whitish with a yellowish 

 tinge, shaded, marked diffusely with black ; a 

 dorsal and a stigmatal band indicated. Two 

 long, black pencils of hairs on joints 2 and 

 ,3 as in the previous stage. Lateral hairs 

 long, dirty whitish mixed with a few black 

 ones. Dorsal tufts as before except that 

 those on joints 5-8 are now large, square, 

 brown ones, mixed at the sides with white 

 plumed hah-s; the tuft on joint 12 still 

 remaining black as previously and contrast- 

 ing with the others. 



Cocoon composed of hair and silk. 



Mature larvae on Hickory (Carya) at 

 Rhinebeck, N. Y. June 6, 1S87 and young 

 ones on oak (Qiiercus) Aug. 9, 1SS7. My 

 description agrees approximately with 

 Smith and Abbot's figure; but this figure can 

 hardly be very accurate as remarked by Prof. 

 Rilev (Proc. ent. soc. Wash, i, 88.). The 

 brief description of the larva of ''Parorgyia 

 diiitoinr hy Mr. Coquillett (Can. ent. xii, 

 45) also agrees with my notes, except that 

 the author remarks that the retractile tuber- 

 cles are "reddish." 



The moths bred from the larvae here 

 described were of the form basijfava Pack. 



Parorgyia acii.\tiX-\ Abbot and Smith. 

 lyg-j—A and S. Lep. ins. Ga., ii, pi- 77- 

 parallela Grole and Robinson. 

 1S66— G. and R. Proc. ent. soc. Phil.,vi,5. 

 1872— Limner, 26th rept. N. Y. state cab. 

 n. hist. 129. 



1SS7— Seifert, Ent. amer. iii, 93 



iSgo— Packard, 5th rept. U. S. ent. comm. 



I3S- 



var. OBLIQUATA Grote and Robinson. 



1866— G. and R. Proc. ent. soc. Phil., vi, 4. 



According to the observations of Mr. 

 Seifert, this larva has eight stages, while Dr. 

 Packard .gives it but five.* Mr. Seiferfs 

 larvae did not hibernate, which is unusual 

 for this latitude. I believe this species usu- 

 ally hibernates in the fourth and fifth larval 



'LarvastageIII.\->)-V^^^i' black, shining, 

 mouth parts paler, sutures depressed ; width 

 1.34 mm. Body nearly black, a little mottled 

 with whitish at the sides. Subdorsal warts 

 on joint 2 large, bearing a few plumed black 

 hairs. From warts i and ii on joints 5 and 

 12 arises a square black tuft of plumed hairs. 

 The other warts bear pale, sordid, whitish 

 hairs; but from warts i and ii on joints 6-8 



* Neither of these authors have given any measure- 

 ments of the width of head, which would have enabled 

 me to compare the stages observed by me directly with 

 their descriptions. Tliey have given measurements of 

 the length of the larva, data which seem to me very 

 variable and unsatisfactory. Nevertheless, the meas- 

 urements of Mr. Seifert follow a series in geometrical 

 progression fairly well, and, to judge Dr Packard's 

 work by Mr. Seiferfs, usingthe length of larva as 

 means of comparison, I conclude that Dr. Packard has 

 failed to observe stages iv, vi and vii, as recorded by 

 Mr. Seifert. Below, I give, comparatively, a calcu- 

 lated series and the lengths of larva as found by these 

 gentlemen. 



Calculated series, ratio 7-10: 3.1, 4-5. <5-4. 9-'. '3-o. 



1S.6, 26.6, 3S mm. 

 Mr. Seiferfs measurements: 3.9, 5.1, 6.5, 9.0, 13. 19 



25, 26-3S mm. 



Dr. Packard's measurements : 2.5, 4-5, 7. — , 12-14, — , 



— , 35 mm. 



It seems evident that 111-. Packard must have missed 

 at least one stage; for it is not possible to make his 

 measurements fit a calculated series. However, such 

 is the uncertainty ofthese measurements, that it can be 

 done by supposing that the larvae have sometimes 

 only six stages, and that Dr. Packard missed stage v ; 



Calculated series, ratio 6-10: 2.7, 4.5, 7.6, 13, 21, 35 



mm. 



Dr. Packard's figures: 2.5, 4.5,7, i^-M,— , 35 i""- 



