REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 253 



not© of the ai)pearance of tlie immature forms and their work. The 

 egg is laid ou the under surface of the leaf, and the newly-hatched 

 larva, which is green in color, with black head and thoracic plate and 

 six longitudinal dusky stripes, the two middle ones faint posteriorly, 

 spins a shght web, and feeds upon the lower leaf tissue until nearly 

 half growu^ It then usually attaches a second leaf to the one upon 

 which it is at work, and lives between the two until nearly grown. 

 Frequently a migratory fit seizes upon one of these larvae, and it not 

 unfrequeutly is found in the mines of one of the other locust tineids. 

 Indeed, Mr. Chambers states (Canadian Entomologist, vol. iv, p. 107) 

 that he has seen one in the act of boring into the mine of LitJiocolletis 

 rohiniella. He also states (American Entomologist, vol. iii, p. 60) that 

 the larva of the Gelechia not infrequently eats the pupa of the LitJiocol- 

 letis in such cases. In cases where the young larvae of the former insect 

 are found in the mines of the latter, however, it seems probable that it 

 is more the result of accident than design. The full-grown larva is large 

 and stout, measuring 18 to lO"""^ (about ^ inch) in length. It is quite 

 round and plump, and tapers considerably from the third abdominal 

 joint to the anus. The head is reddish brown ; the first thoracic seg- 

 ment is pale greenish-brown, with its anterior margin whitish ; the body 

 is yellowish, with six dusky longitudinal stripes, of which the two lateral 

 ones are broadest ; frequently the two middle ones are very faint. The 

 cocoons of the late summer brood were found uj)on the ground under 

 the tree. Each is about 20'"'^ (.78 inch) in length, somewhat flat- 

 tened, and rounded at each end, and is composed of light-gray silk. 

 The outside is closely covered with one or more leaves, every edge of 

 which is closely fastened down, all the suiierfluous material being cut 

 ott". Whether the larva descends to the ground to form this cocoon, or 

 whether it is spun ui)on the tree and falls with the leaves, or is cut off 

 after completion, we cannot definitely state, but the latter seems most 

 probable. The larva does not transform immediately after finishing its 

 cocoon, but passes the greater part of the winter in the larval stage, 

 changing to a puj^a afew weeks before the exit of the moth. One larva 

 which spun up September 21 left its cocoon on January 11 for some cause 

 or other and wandered around the breeding cage until it died. The pupa, 

 with the exception of being larger, resembles very closely that of G. 

 rohiniella. (See page — .) The moth, which issues in late spring, has 

 an expanse of wing of about 61'"'" (.63 inch), and is somber in color. 

 The fore wings are dark slate, flecked with brown and white.* The 

 hind wings are of a very pale slate, whitish towards the base. 



It will at any time be easy to lessen the numbers of these insects by 

 burning over the grass and leaves under the trees during the winter, 

 thus destroying the chrysalides. Two ichneumonid parasites have been 

 bred from this insect, which have been determined by Mr. Cresson, as 

 Linneria awiuUpes Cress., and Perilitus communis Cress. 



The codling moth {Carpocapsa pomonella) in Tasmania.. — A docu- 

 ment has been received from Hobartown, Tasmania, which embodies the 

 report of a select committee of the house of assembly, "to inquire into 

 the destruction of fruit by the codhng moth." The testimony of sev- 

 eral prominent fruit growers is given, and in the appendices a varied 

 testiraony, chiefly from American sources. The final recommendations 

 of the committee are as follows : 



REPORT. 



Your committee have held ivo failtin^s siuce Parliament met, and after a careful 

 review of all avaikible informatiou collectecl, both fwin Americau and Tasmaniaa 



