INSECTS AFFECTING PARK AND WOODLAND TREES 1 35 



with several shades of >^ray anil j^rayish white. On the other hand, the 

 female is a nearly uniform gray, with simple antennae, and but rudimentary 

 wings. 



The eggs are deposited on the empty cocoon under a conspicuous 

 white mass of frothy matter [pi. 7, fig. 3J, which soon hardens and forms a 

 very effective protection. The individual egg is nearly spherical, about 

 1/25 inch in diameter, white or yellowish white, and with a light brown spot 

 surrounded by a ring of the same color. 



Life history and habits. The winter is passed in the conspicuous, 

 white, easily removed egg masses, the young emerging about the latter part 

 of May in this latitude. They begin to feed on the more tender lower 

 epidermis of the leaf and soon devour all but the principal veins. While 

 young, the caterpillars frequently hang by a silken thread and with con- 

 tinued jarring many may drop to the ground. The growth of the cater- 

 pillars occupies a month or a little more, pupation occurring the latter part 

 of June and early in July. In Albany most of the larvae had pupated by 

 July 7 in 1898, and some recently deposited egg masses were to be seen at 

 that time. A few individuals spin up earlier than the mass and some do 

 not till numerous egg clusters indicate that most of the insects have already 

 completed the round of life. 



From 10 to 15 days are passed in the pupal state. At the end of this 

 period, the wingless female emerges and crawls on ner cocoon, pairing takes 

 place, and immediately afterwards deposition of the eggs begins, as stated 

 by Dr L. O. Howard. They are laid in masses as described above, the 

 eggs of a cluster ranging in number from 100 to 500, as given by several 

 writers. In what appeared to be a good sized mass collected in Albany, 

 there were 330 eggs. After her full complement has been discharged, 

 the female dies and drops to the ground. In Albany there is normally 

 one annual generation, but in New York city and vicinity and in Boston 

 Mass., there are two broods, while at Washington D. C, there are three 

 broods each year, according to Dr Howard. Occasionally a few larvae 

 belonging to this species may be met with in Albany during August and 



