26 TWENTY-THIRD REPORT ON THE STATE CABINET. [158] 



III. NOTES ON MELITHA NTCTEIS (DOUBL). 



On June 15th two larvae of this species were collected in different 

 localities at Center feeding on Helictnihus divaricatus L. They were 

 of the length respectively of .75 and .80 of an inch. The head was 

 cordate, broadest at the summit, of a glossy black shade, with numer- 

 ous blackish hairs of unequal length. The body was reddish-brown, 

 with a few gray dots ; laterally with a broad testaceous stigmatal stripe, 

 embracing the stigmata and the substigmatal row of spines. The spines 

 were rufous, black-tipped, thickly verticillated with black bristles ; on 

 the first segment are three dorsal granulations, a substigmatal spine, 

 and some clusters of short hairs projecting over the head; on seg- 

 ments 4 to 11, a dorsal row of spines, the latter segment bearing two 

 dorsal spines ; on segments 2 to 11, a subdorsal, a lateral and a substig- 

 matal row of similar spines ; on segment 12, two subdorsal spines and 

 an anal, ovate, blackish tubercle ; above the legs and prolegs, a row of 

 short spines, with sparse tawny hairs. Stigmata oval, blackish. Legs 

 black ; prolegs rufous. 



On the morning of the 18th one of the larvae was found resting on 

 the upper surface of a leaf in position for molting. The following 

 morning (19th) it was observed to have molted during the night, and 

 had resumed its feeding. Instead of the broad stigmatal stripe, there 

 was now a narrow substigmatal one, embracing the substigmatal row 

 of spines ; above, in range with the stigmata, some scattered rufous 

 dots. Body superiorly fuscous ; spines reddish-brown. Prolegs rufes- 

 cent ; legs black. 



The mature larva measures .95 of an inch. Its color is fuscous, with 

 white dots on the annulets. The bases of the spines are glossy black. 

 The substigmatal stripe is rufous ; and the stigmatal rufous spots, 

 with the adjacent papillae, form an interrupted stripe. The stig- 

 mata are black and broadly oval. On the 21st of June, the more 

 advanced of the two larvae (the other was sent to a correspondent that 

 a drawing might be made of it) was found changed to a chrysalis, 

 attached by its anal spine to the margin of the under side of a leaf. 



The chrysalis (Plate 8, fig. 14) was .44 of an inch in length. Color 

 fuscous, with white markings on the wing-cases, especially at their 

 bases, and at the bases of the spines posteriorly, covering most of the 

 4th and 5th segments ; on the thoracic projection which is rounded 



