152 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF 



Within, the colors of its wings show distinctly through it. The chrysalis 

 state lasts on an average about two weeks, at the end of which time 

 the moth bursts forth. In this state it is one of the neatest and most 

 beautiful little moths that can well be imagined. At Plate 2, Figure 22, 

 it is represented of the natural size, expanded, and at Figure 23 with the 

 ■wings closed. The fore wings are of a bright metallic golden-orange, 

 crossed transversely with bands of very pale chrome-yellow, marbled 

 With black ; while the underwings are smoky black, and almost trans- 

 parent in the middle. The first moths begin to appear during the 

 first days of September, and continue issuing from the crysalids till 

 the last of October. From the fact that I could get none of them to 

 deposit eggs, I infer that they pass the winter in the moth state — the 

 more readily since I have had them escape from the crysalis even in 

 November. They are very fond of flitting over and clinging to the 

 flowers of the Golden rod and of the Eupatorium serotinum. 



This insect probably occurs throughout the Southern States, for 

 Mr. Glover has found it in Georgia. It is doubtless confined to the Ail- 

 anthus tree, though when pushed for food I found that the worms were 

 not at all fastidious about devouring their brethren that were in the 

 helpless chrysalis state. It was named Pceciloptera compta by the 

 late Dr. Breckenridge Clemens, but as the genus Pceciloptera was 

 pre-occupied in insects, Mr. A. Grote, of £!ew York, proposed the 

 generic term (Eta,, and we thus have a scientific name for our little 

 moth — (Eta compta — which the most prejudiced against the so-called 

 "Crack-jaw-Latin" can hardly find objection to. 



The easiest way of getting rid of the worms is to cut off the 

 branch containing the nest and burn it. 



Gyta compta, Clemens. — Larva. — Average length when full grown 0.95. Slender, the diame- 

 ter being 0.09. General color very dark olive-brown An extremely fine pearly-white dorsal and 

 subdorsal line, and a somewhat more distinct stigmatal line of the same color ; all three of them 

 formed by minute white specks and lines. Dorsum, dull olive-green. A longitudinal line some- 

 what darker and in many cases quite black, below the subdorsal line. Between this last and stig- 

 matal line is a stripe of the same color as dorsum, but speckled with white. Immediately below 

 stigmatal line, it is rusty-yellow, especially on the middle segments. Venter sometimes olive- 

 green, sometimes lead-color, finely speckled with white, and with a translucent line visible along 

 the middle. This larva is mainly characterized, however, by a number of minute white piliferous 

 spot.-, in strong contrast with the dark body, each giving forth a stiff white hair at right angles 

 from said body. These spots are thus arranged on each side of every segment : 2 about the middle 

 on subdorsal line ; 1 under the anterior of these, just below the longitudinal dark line ; 2 on the 

 stigmatal line, with the stigmata which is of the same color between them; 1 in the orange part 

 posteriorly; 2 small ones just below the orange part, and 2 in the middle of venter on the legless 

 segments. Head of a beautiful brown, perpendicular, marked with black and speckled with white, 

 two large spots being especially noticeable on the upper front. Cervical shield velvety-black, ir- 

 regularly speckled with white. Thoracic legs black ; abdominals extremely small and of the same 

 color as venter ; anals somewhat larger and brown. 



Described from numerous specimens. The white spots are usually larger near the head while 

 the hairs springing from them lean towards the head. The head itself is sometimes entirely black, 

 while the white longitudinal lines are occasionally almost obsolete. 



The young worm is pale and void of markings. 



Chrysalis. — Average length 0.53. Not polished, but with the markings of the larva still appa- 

 rent through the thin skin. General color dull smoky-brown, with a distinct broad dorsal band of a 



