270 LEPIDOPTERA. 



pale green color. Under the microscope it appears plainly 

 reticulated, with fine, six-sided markings, strongly resembling 

 the cornea of a fly's eye. The larva on finding its way out, 

 June 27th, began to eat the egg-shell at the centre above. 

 It feeds on grass, on the inside of the leaves near the joints, 

 drawing portions of the leaves together with silken threads. 

 When placed on a strongly ribbed blade of grass, it spins a 

 few threads from rib to rib, and stations itself behind the 

 threads. By the 14th of July the caterpillars were three- 

 eighths of an inch long and resembled those of H. Mystic 

 of the same age." Mr. Saunders did not succeed in raising 

 the caterpillars to maturity as they were unfortunately lost. 



The most abundant species in New England is H. Wamsutta 

 Harris (Fig. 198) which frequents roadsides throughout the 

 summer. According to Mr. Saunders' notes, from "eggs de- 

 posited July 10th, the young larva was hatched July 24th, the 

 eggs growing darker about two or three days previous. The 

 egg is pale greenish yellow, or yellowish green, strongly con- 

 vex above, and flattened at the place of attachment. The flat- 

 tened portion is slightly concave and very faintly reticulated 

 under a power of forty -five diameters. 



The young larva, when first hatched, is about the same as 

 that of M}-stic and Hobomoc, probably .10 of an inch, and is 

 scarcely distinguishable from them, excepting that it is slightly 

 darker in color. The head is large and prominent and of a 

 shining black color. The second segment has a ring of brown- 

 ish black, encircling it above. The body is dull brownish yel- 

 low, very faintly dotted with black, each dot emitting a single, 

 rather long, brownish hair. The under surface is rather paler 

 than the upper. 



Mr. Saunders has also reared the larva of H. Mystic Edwards 

 from the egg, which is " strongly convex above, flattened below 

 and depressed in the centre of the flattened portion. Under 

 a magnifying power of eighty diameters, the surface is seen 

 to be faintly reticulated ; it is pale yellowish green. The eggs 

 were, deposited about the 20th of June and hatched on the 

 28th and 29th of June. When hatched it was .10 of an inch 

 long, with a large, black head, and was white, becoming yel- 

 lowish brown, especially towards the end of the body. It feeds 



