126 FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT 



few, again, have the power of causing a stingingsensation, which pro- 

 duces greater or less inflammation of the parts affected. Yet in every 

 instance; this is a sort of urtication like that from a nettle, and not a 

 voluntary sting like that of a bee or wasp. In no case is it dan- 

 gerous, and the application of a little saleratus water (Reaumur found 

 the rubbing of parsley beneficial) will soon allay the inflammation. 

 Some of the larvae possessing the power might be freely handled by 

 the uninitiated without its being discovered. 



Every one familiar with insects in Europe, will remember the ir- 

 ritating property of the hairs of the gregarious Processionary caterpil- 

 lar {Cnethocampa p?'ocessionea), or the so-called Yellow-tail Moth 

 {Lipa7'is auriHua). In these instances it is the irritating power 

 caused by the fine barbed hairs, the tips of which get broken ofl" after 

 piercing the skin, and the dried hairs from a dead caterpillar or from an 

 old web are more to be dreaded than those from the living larva, for 

 they are more brittle. 



I am acquainted in all witrh fifteen larvae, inhabiting our State, 

 whose spines have this urti eating power,* but in every instance it is 

 caused by the sharp prick and not by the points of the spines getting 

 broken in the flesh. For lack of time to make the requisite illustra- 

 trations,! shall at present give the history of only two, which, on ac- 

 count of their large size and acute sting, very naturally head the 

 list. The flrst may be called the Black Stinger of the Oak, and I will 

 now give its natural history. 



* These belong mostly to the slwg -worms or Conchiliform larvte, all of which, when furnished 

 with spines or prickles, will doubtless prove to possess this urticating power. The following, I have, 

 from personal experience, ])roved to possess it: Lagoa crispata (Smith), L. opcrcularis (Smith), 

 Eucleap(E)ui!ala (Clem), Euc. querciti (H-S), and two other undetermined larvas of puecisely the 

 same structure, Parasa chloris (H-S), Phohetron pithiciuni (Smith), P. hyalinum (Walsh), Adoneta 

 spinuloides (H-S), Monolcuca semifascia G & R, and Emprc/ia stimulea Clem. Limacodes scapha 

 (Harr) , and Lithacodes fasciola (H-S) , have not this stinging power. The fifteenth stinging larva with 

 which I am acquainted, belongs, strangely enough, to Acronycta. This species, as I learn from Mr. 

 Liutner, is xijlinoidcs Guen. It has the size and form oi occidcntalis Grote, or of the smaller specimens 

 of Icutiocoma G & 11. In general appearance, some of the specimens bear a strong superllcial i-esem- 

 blance to oblinita, but are easily distinguished by the smaller average size, the squarer wings, and the 

 deeper, colder color, and heavier marks of the front wings. Guenee's description of the front wings, 

 as ' 'narrow and prolouged at the apex' ' would, I think, mislead, and he does not mention one charac- 

 ter which is common to all my specimens (7) , which is that the t. p. line is strongly relieved posteri- 

 orly, and blends with tlie ground-color basally. I append below a description of the larva and pupa. 



While spending a day with Dr. Fitch, at Salem, N. Y., on the 24th of August, 1S70, I found him 

 feeding a laiwa of Anisota stif))na (Smith) , which be said had stung his little daughter badly ; but though 

 the spines of this larva produce a slight tingling sensation, it can not be likened to that of the true 

 stinging larvre, and is no more irritating than the prick from the spines of Grapta, or many other 

 spinous larvas. 



The other species of the tribe to which Maia and lo belong, will doubtless prove to have the 

 same properties in the larva state; and Mr. G. M. Levette, of Indianapolis, Ind., informs me that 

 I'scudohazis ecjlanterina (Boisd) , which, like Maia, deposits its eggs in a belt, also possesses urticating 

 power; as he was cautioned against the too free handling of some larvaj received from California, and 

 AVhich fed on wild rose. 



AcROXYCTA XYLixoiDES — Larva — Before last molt 1 .10 inches long; diameter of middle joints, 

 which are largest, 0.27 mch. Color of body lalaceous, mottled, and transver.selv dulted with dark 

 brown, and with dark, interrupted, medio-dorsal, subdorsal and sti-niatal lines, olj.sdkte on thoracic 

 joints, the medio-dorsal forming a series ol Y-marks on the abdominal joints. Each joint witli a trans- 

 verse row of cons])icuous warts, concolorous, exceptthe superior abdominal ones, which are ferrugi- 

 nous, becoming paler on. anal joints; S onjts. 1—3, 10 on the rest, the 4 superior on 11 quadrangularly 

 arranged. Those in subdorsal space largest, more or less conlluent, especially on the thoracic and anal 

 joints, and with the space in front of them on abdomimd joints, pale. Springing from these warts, a 



