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302 PSYCHE. 
PUPA. 
Length, 4 mm. ; breadth, 2 mm. 
Enclosed within the larval skin, and 
visible only from above, where the larval 
skin is longitudinally split open along the 
median dorsal line from head to anal seg- 
Abruptly narrows to a point at the 
anal extremity. Removed from larval 
ment. 
skin, the entire surface of the pupa is seen 
: to be covered with short, soft, light yellow- 
ish brown hairs, except at the centre of 
dorsal surface which contains three minute 
transverse incisions or furrows. The ante- 
rior margin of each furrow is straight while 
the posterior margin is curved. Examined 
under the microscope, both margins of each 
incision are seen to be minutely dentate, 
but the teeth of the posterior margins are 
/ 
ORGANS, PROBABLY DEFENSIVE IN FUNCTION, 
HYPERCHIRIA VARIA, WALK. (SATURNIA IO, HARRIS). 
BY GEORGE DIMMOCK, CAMBRIDGE, MASS. 
In examining a larva of AHyperchiria 
varia lately I found on each side a protru- 
sile organ just posterior to, and a trifle 
below the level of the stigmata of the 
fourth segment, and a similar organ in the 
same position relative to the stigmata 
of the tenth segment, these segments 
being counted from and excluding the 
head. 
These organs, when retracted, exhibit 
‘nothing more than an irregular opening, 
about half a millimetre in diameter, situa- 
ted in the reddish lateral line which extends 
from the anterior part of the fourth seg- 
ment to the posterior extremity of the 
more prominent than those of the anterior 
The incisions being in the outer 
layer of the skin only, these minute teeth 
may be of use in fixing the pupal skin 
while the imago emerges from it. 
The imagos, first appearing about the 
middle of March, continue to appear during ~ 
all the spring and summer months. 
For several years this was the only | 
museum pest whose presence was dreaded 
in the entomological cabinets of the Uni- 
versity of Kansas, but for the past three 
years Anthrenus varius has become quite got 
as formidable a foe, having been introduced _ h 
into the building in some eastern bird skins. © 
Careful watching and the use of tight boxes 
have prevented serious damage to the col- 
lections from either of these pests. 
margins. 
IN THE LARVA OF © 
larva. 
mistaken for some of the folds of the skin Se 
which are numerous along the lateral ee : se 
of this larva when at rest. + a t 
If the larva be disturbed by slightigh My 
touching the spines with which it is covered, 
and at the same time attention be given to — 3 
the above-mentioned. irregular openings, — 
which should be observed under a lens, 
each opening will be seen to evaginate and — 
to re-invaginate alternately, When evag- 
inated to about a half a millimetre in 
height above the surrounding skin the are: 
appearance of the organ is very similar to bec 
that of a minute sea-anemone or aetinia cae a 
