302 
months, as the moths did not appear in the cage until late in August, 
although out of doors the young larve were already at work in the 
flowers. A specimen of the moth was inclosed to Dr. Riley and by him 
kindly determined as above. 
During the past summer the sunflowers suffered still more than in 
the previous year, fully seventy-five per cent showing the work of the 
insect, while about half of those infested had almost every seed eaten. 
The dwarf varieties of sunflower were also attacked, but the prefer- 
ence of the insect is evidently for the large flowered sorts. 
I watched in vain by moonlight and lamplight to see the process of 
oviposition, as well as to capture some of the moths, but was not able 
to discover any upon the flowers, and I infer that they are not on the 
wing until late at night. This conclusion is supported by the fact that 
among all the various Noctuids taken here at light or by sugaring dur- 
ing the past twenty years there was not a single specimen of this species. 
DESCRIPTION. 
I append a somewhat more exact description of the larva and pupa: 
Young larve more slender in proportion than when full grown and usually more 
roseate in color. 
Mature larva 25 ™™, in length, diameter 6 to 7™™.; nearly the same throughout; 
from cylindrical, surface much wrinkled, especially laterally; color opaque cream 
white with a tinge of rose or pale brown on the medio-dorsal region; piliferous 
plates pale but distinct, giving rise to short, fine, light hairs. Head golden brown, 
indistinctly mottled with a darkershade of the same color; trophialmost black with 
a white base, mandibles unusually strong; cervical collar corneous, polished, 
mahogany brown, broad and deep, entirely covering the upper surface of the first 
segment; anal plate small, elliptical, corneous golden brown. Legs brown; pro- 
legs white with brown pads. Stigmata minute but black-rimmed and distinct. 
Pupa short, thick with a glassy appearance, of a shaded brown color with tinge 
of green on thorax and abdomen. 
The moth expands about one and one-half inches and the prevailing 
chocolate-brown color has, as Mr. Grote expresses it, a peculiar frosted 
appearance owing to the scales being more or less distinctly tipped 
with white. In the female the ovipositor is noticeably long and tele- 
scopic. The affinity of this insect to Gortyna 1s apparent to the most 
careless observer. 
THE INSECT GUESTS OF THE FLORIDA LAND TORTOISE. 
By Henry G. HUBBARD, Crescent City, Fla. 
The Florida Gopher, Gopherus (Xerobates) polyphemus, is a tortoise 
attaining ten or twelve inches in length and weighing eight or ten 
pounds. It excavates galleries 18 or 20 feet long in the sandy ridges 
remote from water. These galleries descend in a straight course at an ~ 
angle of 35° and terminate abruptly, usually in a layer of indurated 
