REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 81 
round black spots. The under wings are rose-colored or light crimson, 
with black edging. The larva is also yellow, with black and white 
rings, and the chrysalis is black and yellow, and remains a chrysalis, or 
pupa, in the summer a week or ten days. The larva is also said to feed 
on lupine. 
. The larvaof Acoloithus falsarius, Clem., has been found on both the 
grape vine and the Virginia creeper, (Ampelopsis quinque- Fic. 42. 
folia.) These caterpillars were found in July in Mary- F 
land, either solitary or two or three together, eating € 
small holes in the leaves. When kept in confinement 
they spun small parchment-like cocoons among the dead 
foliage and rubbish in the bottom of the box in which 
they were confined, and the perfect insect appeared in 
ten tofourteen days after the cocoon was spun. The in- 
sects, in the perfect state, resemble very much the Amer- 
ican forester of Fitch, Acoloithus (Procris) Americana, 
Bdv., (Agricultural Report, 1854, pl. 6,) but are only 
half the size, and do not have the anal tufts; the 
collar is of a paler orange, divided on the top by a 
black point, and the rest of the insect is of a somewhat bluish-black 
color. If they are found to increase so as to become injurious they may 
be destroyed by syringing the vines with whale-oil soap-suds, or a wash 
of hellebore and water. . 
The Samia (Atiacus) cynthia, or ailanthus silk-worm, introduced for 
its silk-producing qualities in 1860 and 1861, has become acclimated in 
several of our northern cities on the Atlantic coast, but has not yet 
been utilized, as far as we can learn, in this country. Mr. Andrews, of 
New York, states, however, that he is of the opinion that S. cynthia ‘is 
the moth best adapted to our northern climate as a silk-producer, and 
has received a specimen of sewing silk made from its cocoon, which has 
strengthened his previous favorable opinion.” Although this insect has 
increased to*such a degree in some places as to become almost a nui- 
Sance, an attempt was made during the past year to induce the Govern- 
ment to re-introduce the insect, which is already naturalized and abund- 
ant. Mr. Riley, in the American Entomologist, speaking on this subject, 
says: ‘The insect has become wild, and is increasing around Baltimore, 
Philadelphia, Chicago, and Brooklyn, and a certain individual, totally 
ignorant of what has been done in past years, is soliciting Government 
aid in the introduction of this worm.” Mr. Riley, five years ago, made 
extensive experiments, and in the Prairie Farmer of April 18, 1866, 
stated that its cocoon was of no more value than some of our native 
silk-worms. 
Attacus perny?, another silk-producing insect from Manchouria, and 
feeding on oak, has been successfully raised to the perfect er moth state, 
by Mr. John Akburst, of Brooklyn, New York, but not in sufficient 
numbers to warrant any report upon its silk-producing qualities in this 
climate. A third so-called foreign silk-worm, Antherea yama-mai, or 
Japanese silk-worm, feeding on the oak and appie in the open air, has 
also been experimented on by Mr. Andrews and Mr. Akhurst. The 
great trouble with the insect at present appears to be that the eggs 
hatch out before there is sufficient oak foliage for the young caterpillars 
to feed upon. Mr. Riley states that his experience with the Japanese 
silk-worm the past summer was very unsatisfactory, and that in 1869 
the experimenters in England also met with poor success; but notwith- 
standing these unfavorable reports, it would be well to try it another 
6A 
