PSYCHE. 



THE BOMBYCINE GENUS LAGOA, TYPE OF A NEW FAMILY 



BY A. S. PACKARD, PROVIDENCE, R. I. 



In its general appearance the larva 

 of Lagoa is in some respects intermedi- 

 ate between the Cochliopodiclae and 

 the Liparidae. It resembles the former 

 group in the short thick body ; in the 

 head being concealed by the prothoracic 

 hood ; and in the venomous spines. 



On the other hand it resembles the 

 Liparidae in the hairy body, the hairs 

 being finely plumose, a peculiarity of 

 more common occurrence in the Lipa- 

 ridae than in the Cochliopodiclae. 



As regards the cocoon this is inter- 

 mediate in form and texture between 

 that of Orgyia, etc., and the Cochlio- 

 podidae, but it more closely approaches 

 that of the latter ; it varies somewhat in 

 density in different species, being usu- 

 ally quite firm and dense, like parch- 

 ment, nearly as much so as in those of 

 the Cochliopodidae, and also approach- 

 ing them in shape, being oblong-cylin- 

 drical, oval, contracted at the anterior 

 end, and with a separately-spun lid, 

 closing the front end. As Dr. Lintner 

 has shown with many interesting details, 

 "The lid is woven by the caterpillar 

 separately from the rest of the cocoon, 

 and is not a section cut from it after its 

 completion." Ent. contr., ii. p. 142. 



The pupa is much like that of Lima- 

 codes, etc. , the integument or cast cuticle 



being remarkably thin, and after the 

 exit of the moth the antennae and legs, 

 as well as the wings, are free from the 

 body ; while the latter is split both 

 down the back and along the under side 

 to the end of the thorax. Moreover 

 when the moth escapes, the pupa-skin 

 is left with the head and thorax project- 

 ing out of the end of the cocoon. 



As regards its imaginal or adult char- 

 acters it is also intermediate between 

 the two families mentioned. In the 

 short stout body and short broad wings 

 it has the habit of a Limacodes rather 

 than of such Liparid genera as Por- 

 thesia, etc. In the shape of the an- 

 tennae and palpi it is about as near the 

 Liparidae as the Cochliopodidae. 



In respect to the denuded head, Lagoa 

 is much more like Euclea than the 

 Liparidae. The clypeus is rather long 

 and narrow, similar in shape to that of 

 Euclea, though rather narrower, and is 

 thus more like that of the Cochliopodids 

 than that of the Liparidae, represented 

 by Orgyia and the European Porthesia 

 chrysorrhaea, whose denuded heads I 

 have examined. The epicranium and 

 occiput taken together (on the median 

 line of the body) are about one third as 

 long as the entire clypeus. 



As regards the venation, Lagoa is 



