117 



eighth segment, appeariug as if located beneath the skin ; piliferous 

 spots and spiracles concoloroiis; cervical shield tinged with yellow j 

 anal plate slightly brownish; head brownish-yellow, marked with a 

 brown dot each side above the jaws. 



When fully grown the larva deserts its burrow and spins a white 

 cocoon, which it fastens to two or more twigs. There is only one brood 

 in a year, the larva appearing from February to April and the moths 

 issuing in April or early in May. These evidently lay their eggs in the 

 course of a few weeks after issuing from the chrysalis, and the eggs re- 

 main upon the trees unhatched until the following year. 



I have found this larva attacking the tender twigs of the following 

 trees: Gupressus macrocarpa, commonly known as the "Monterey 

 cypress," and largely used for hedges; Gupressus lawsoniana, G. pyra- 

 midalis and G. guadaloupensis. They are most abundant on the com- 

 mon G. macrocarpa. I have never found them on any other trees than 

 those named above, although several different kinds of Conifers, such 

 as Pinus insignis, Sequoia gigantea, Thuja orientalis, Gedrus libani, and 

 Gupressus funebris were frequently growing within a few yards of the 

 infested trees. 



The larvae have a habit of letting themselves down a distance of a 

 foot or more by means of a silken thread, and while in this position are 

 sometimes devoured by the common Humming-bird ; on one occasion 

 1 saw one of these birds devour upwards of a dozen of these larvae in 

 the space of a few minutes. Of natural parasites I have bred from one 

 of these larvae, or from a chrysalis, I am not certain which, a single 

 specimen of Ichneumon-fly belonging to the genus Porkon, but the 

 specimen is too much mutilated to admit of a specific determination. 



The moth is not named in my collection, but I have sent specimens of 

 it to Professor Riley, to whom I must leave the proper identification of 

 the species.* 



NOTES ON THE GENUS ARGYRESTHIA Hb., WITH DESCRIPTIONS 



OF NEW SPECIES. 



By Loud Walsingham. 



The genus -a.rgyresthia, as represented in the United States, has un- 

 doubtedly been much overlooked. Many species allied to, if not identical 

 with, the numerous European forms may be expected to be found, but 

 up to the present time only thirteen species have been recorded from 

 the United States, to which I have now to add descriptions of three new 

 ones, and to record an additional species known in Europe. With some 

 of the described species I am still unacquainted, and it is possible that 



* The species proved to be undescribed, and in the current number will be found a 

 coramuuication from Lord Walsingham, in which he has kindly characterized it iu 

 connection with some notes on the genus Argyresthia. — C. V. R. 



