238 THIRTIETH REPORT ON THE STATE MUSEUM. Q26] 



stigmata and a number of black spots, as follows : on the first 

 segment, a black spot precedes the stigma ; on segments 4-9 

 and 11, a black spot behind the stigma, bearing a black hair; 

 on segments 4-9 each, on the white portion of the band, a 

 larger, rounded black spot above, and a little in advance of, 

 the stigma, having within it a longer, black hair,&quot; 



It is probable that the larva may again be found the coming 

 season, to afford the means of completing the above descrip 

 tion, which is quite desirable in consideration of its close re 

 semblance to that of the European O. lucifuga. The mature 

 forms taken at Center bore a closer resemblance to C. lucifuga 

 than did my Schoharie examples. Dr. Speyer (St. Mus. Rep. 

 ut &amp;lt;5it., p. 222), in indicating the difference between the two, 

 states &quot;the first [intermedia] has thirteen dorsal spots, the 

 other twenty-five.&quot; The examples collected as above, show 

 that the number, shape and division of these spots are not 

 constant, and that therefore, from such numerical or geome 

 trical features, no reliable specific characters are to be drawn. 

 I am able to recall my enumeration of eighteen dorsal orange 

 spots on one of the larvae 



In some notes on this larva, published by me in 1873, in 

 the ZZrdiRcp. St. Mas. Nat. Hist., p. 213, its probable food- 

 plant is given as the common burdock (Lappa officinalis\ 

 as inferred from finding several examples near this plant, and 

 some of the larvae having fed upon it in confinement. I now 

 incline to the belief that their eating the burdock was under 

 the provocation of hunger, and that their range of food under 

 natural conditions would not extend to a plant so different in 

 character from that of the blue lettuce. It is an interesting 

 fact that in its systematic arrangement, the genus Mulgedium 

 stands between Lactuca and Sonchus, the two genera which 

 embrace, in Europe, the food-plants of C. lucifuga (see loc. 

 cit., p. 214). As two of these plants, Sonchus oleraceus and 

 S. arvensis have been introduced in this country from Europe, 

 and the former has become quite common around dwellings 

 and by roadsides in New York, it is not improbable that the 

 O. intermedia larva may hereafter be discovered upon them. 

 I Have repeatedly examined the burdock for the larvae, but 

 without success. 



