[] 59] NOTES ON MELITJEA NYCTEIS. 27 



and moderately elevated, are five subtriangular white spots (of which 

 two mark protuberances), radiating from its center ; stigmatal region ru- 

 fescent. The head-case is slightly excavated in front. The spines are 

 short, not acute, three each on the 6th, 9th, 10th and llth segments, 

 and five on the 7th and 8th ; terminal segment recurved, so that the 

 body of the chrysalis forms a right angle with the short spine by 

 which it is suspended. 



The imago from the above emerged July 1st, after a pupal period 

 of ten days. 



On the 20th of August some young larvae (a colony) were found at 

 Center clustered on a leaf of H. divaricatus, of which they had eaten 

 the upper portion. From their appearance, they doubtless pertained to 

 Melitsea, and may have been of the above species. When alarmed by 

 a sudden motion of the plant, they immediately loosened their hold 

 to the leaf and suffered themselves to fall to the ground, with their 

 bodies bent in a circle. After lying motionless for a few minutes, if 

 not again disturbed, they would arouse themselves and travel rapidly 

 away to some place of concealment. 



When about to transfer them to fresh leaves on the 23d, they were 

 found to have molted, and to have left their exuviae with attached 

 head-cases, within a slight web which they had spun on a leaf. From 

 a comparison of the size of the head-cases with those of M. Phaeton 

 which were being reared at the same time, this was their second molting. 

 They subsequently fed moderately on the surface of the leaves, which 

 becoming dried were removed and pinned to a fresh stem of the H. 

 annuus. Without leaving their position, and after several days cessa 

 tion from feeding, they underwent their third molting on the 29th. 



Although fresh leaves of II. divaricatus were provided for them, 

 they could not be induced to resume feeding, but one after another 

 died and fell from the plant. It is probable that at this stage of their 

 growth the larvse habitually cease from feeding, and assume the 

 lethargic condition in which they pass the winter which some of 

 this colony would doubtless have done, had they been favored with the 

 conditions to which they are ordinarily subjected. 



The butterfly has occurred abundantly at Center during the two 

 years of my collecting there, appearing from the middle of June until 

 about the 20th of July, its period of greatest abundance being about 

 the 1st of July. At Bethlehem (an excellent collecting locality three 

 miles south of Albany) it has not been seen. It is quite rare at Scho- 

 harie, where only two individuals have been taken by me. 



