1908] COOLIDGE — WESTERN LEPIDOPTERA — II 103 



them. Once upon a suitable twig, the female commences to oviposit. Sometimes 

 she stations herself above with her head pointing towards the end of the branch, or 

 rarely towards the trunk, and stretching her abdomen, places the eggs in a solid, 

 naked belt about the twig, without releasing her legs. Again she may hang suspended 

 from the twig and thus onposit. Egg laying appears to be a rather tedious business 

 as she sometimes remains on the same branch for a whole day or even more. I do 

 not believe, however, that she deposits all her eggs in a single mass. The greatest 

 number of eggs which have been found in a single ring numbered 301. Often two 

 or three masses will be found adjacent to one another. These are undoubtedly laid 

 by different females, as can be seen by the different coloration. The eggs are sub- 

 ovate in shape and vary in color from stone color to a much darker brown. The 

 condition of the weather has much to do with this as eggs laid in confinement are 

 very lightly and uniformly colored. The eggs are affixed to the twigs by a practi- 

 cally insoluble substance. The young larvae emerge in early spring, as soon as the 

 leaves of their food plant have grown sufficiently enough to afford them food. They 

 do not devour the empty egg shells. They are gregarious and remain so until the 

 last or next to the last moult. As to the stinging propensities of the larva, Riley (5th 

 Annual Report Missouri State Entom., p. 126) writes: "The other species of the 

 tribe to which maia and to belong, will doubtless prove to have the same properties 

 in the larva state; and Mr. G. M. Levette, of Indianapolis, Ind., informs me that 

 Pseudohazis eglanterina (Boisd.), which, like maia, deposits its eggs in a belt, also 

 possesses urticating power; as he was cautioned against the too free handling of some 

 larvae received from California and which fed on wild rose." As Riley points out, 

 this is caused by the prick of the sting spines, and not by their getting broken in the 

 flesh. As the spines are hollow, it might be supposed that the urticating power pro- 

 ceeds from a poisonous injection, but no apical aperture to the spines has yet been 

 discovered. I have never myself investigated the irritating effects of the spines, but 

 Mr. Grundel tells me that he believes that the sting can only be caused when the 

 larva is diseased or parasitized or when moulting. 



The pupa is invariably formed in the ground or in the rubbish at the base of the 

 tree. In confinement, however, the pupa is almost always naked. Considerable 

 difficulty will be met with in breeding Pseudohazis unless they are given plenty of 

 room, moisture and shade. Dryness kills them -very quickly. It is best to have a 

 thick layer of damp leaves in the bottom of the breeding cage. They are also heavily 

 parasitized by Tachina flies. I am glad here to acknowledge my indebtedness to 

 Mr. J. G. Grundel of Alma and Mr. Earl Morris of San Jose for various favors and 

 notes. 



