PARASITES AND A DISEASE OF ACTIAS LUNA. 39 



MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 



Parasite of Pyrameis Atalanta. 



A small parasite upon this butterfly, received from Mr. W. H. Ed- 

 wards, of Coalburgh, Virginia, was identified by me as Microgaster cari- 

 nata Packard, described in the Proceedings Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., xxi, 

 1880, p. 25-6. Upon submitting it to Prof. Riley, it was compared with 

 the type of M. carinata in his possession and found to be identical. It 

 should, however, he stated, be regarded as a variety of his ATicrogaster 

 gelechiai (First Missouri Report, 1869, p. 178) obtained by him from the 

 gall-making caterpillar of the solidago gall-moth, Gelechia gallcesolida- 

 ginis, from which *' it differs only in the black anterior and intermediate 

 coxae and trochanters, and darker tarsi and tips of tibiae — all variable 

 characters within the same species." 



The P. Atalanta parasite would therefore be — conforming to a later 

 generic arrangement, — Apanteles gelechia Riley. 



Prof. Packard has also described {loc. cit. p. 27) a second parasite from 

 the same butterfly, as Microgaster Atalanta;. 



A Diseased Brood of Actias Luna. 



One hundred and seven eggs were deposited by a female brought 

 to me, on June 27-8. They hatched July 9th, and all molted for the 

 first time on July 15th. Five examples, just commencing to molt — the 

 head withdrawn from the head-case — were placed in alcohol. 



The 2d molt commenced on the i8th, with 5 individuals; on the 19th 

 19 molted, of which 4 were put in alcohol and 2 died; on the 20th 37 

 molted, and i died; on the 21st 7 molted and 2 died; on the 2 2d 2 

 molted and 2 died. Seventy passed their molt and seven died. 



The 3d molting commenced July 23 — 3 individuals; on the 24th, 12; 

 on the 25th, 24, and 7 had died. 



After this time, the remainder were so diseased and died in such 

 numbers, that no further record was kept. They were supplied fre- 

 quently with fresh hickory leaves for food, but without avail. Several 

 passed the 4th (the final molt), but died one after another — the last 

 when apparently about three-fourths grown. 



The indications of approaching death would be, eating sparingly, as- 

 suming a duller shade of green, and changing to a brownish color. They 

 would be found dead the following day, black, perhaps hanging limp 

 from a leaf or stem, and drawn out in length, the entire contents of 



