ENTOMOLOGICAL CONTRIBUTIONS. 149 



Empretia stimulea Clem. 



On the 30th of August, two of the larvae were received from Peeks- 

 kill, K. Y., where they were taken feeding on Indian corn. Septem 

 ber 1st, one of the larvae spun up in its cocoon beneath a leaf. 



The cocoon is oval in form, of a reddish-brown color, of a parch 

 ment-like texture, and measures .32 in. by .5 in. The imago was not 

 obtained. 



My efforts to rear the Cochlidiinse have been attended with nearly 

 as many failures as with the Ptilodontinse. Mr. Meske has been quite 

 successful in rearing these and many species usually regarded as quite 

 difficult to mature, by the aid of a uniform supply of moisture during 

 the period of pupation. The pupse are placed on the surface of the 

 ground, half filling a box, and covered with an inch or two of light 

 moss. On the moss are laid strips of bibulous paper (ordinary blot 

 ting-paper is suitable), which, being dipped daily in water, supply 

 the requisite quantity of moisture to keep the moss and ground in a 

 moderately damp state, during the winter months, in a cool apart 

 ment. Later in the spring, with an increased evaporation, a second 

 dipping of the paper during the day is required. 



Phofoetron pithecium (Sm.-Ab b.). 



A larva taken at Bath, near Albany, feeding on hazel (Gorylus 

 Americana). On September 16th, it spun its cocoon fastened to a 

 twig on which it had been feeding, inserted in some damp sand, on 

 the surface of which the cocoon rested. The cocoon is of an elliptical 

 form, slightly-flattened on the sides, and measures three-tenths of an 

 inch by four-tenths. Its exterior was wholly covered with grains of 

 sand, and in its upper portion were interwoven some of the peculiar 

 curved lateral appendages which impart so singular an aspect to the 

 larva. A good representation of the larva may be found in the 

 American Entomologist, vol. II, p. 25. 



Another larva was brought to me on September 9th, feeding on 

 pear leaves. It made its cocoon between two leaves September 12th. 



The larva is recorded as feeding also on apple, plum, cherry, wild 

 cherry, Siberian crab, white and red oak. 



Lithaeodes fasciola (Her.-Sch.) Pack. 



Eight of the larvae were taken during the early part of September, 

 feeding on the leaves bf a young plum-tree, three feet in height. 



