TWENTY-FOURTH REPORT ON THE STATE MUSEUM. 



VII. NOTES ON PLATARCT1A PARTHENOS (HARR.) PACK. 



Some eggs deposited by a captured moth, disclosed their larvae on 

 July 20th. The young larvae were one-tenth of an inch in length, of 

 a fulvous color, with black tubercles and long fuscous hairs. 



The first molting occurred July 26th and 27th. The larvae were 

 now one-fourth of an inch long, with two prominent black subdorsal 

 tubercles on the fourth and tenth segments ; the hairs were one-tenth 

 of an inch long. 



The second molting commenced July 30th and terminated on 

 August 1st. 



The third molting commenced August 6th. 



The fourth molting commenced August llth, after the larvae had 

 maintained a fixed position for twenty-four hours. 



The fifth molting commenced August 16th. 



The sixth molting extended from the 23d to the 25th of August, 

 inclusive.* 



The seventh molting : two of the larvae which had taken positions 

 in an angle of the box on the 28th, and had spun over them a thin 

 web covering, molted on the 31st. On the 13th of September, two 

 others molted ; the remainder did not undergo this change. After 

 the middle of September they ate very sparingly, many of them 

 resting for days in one position. A few of the brood having 

 died, about the middle of October, the remaining ones (eighteen in 

 number) were transferred to winter quarters within a box containing 

 chips and sawdust, and inverted on the ground beneath a bedding of 

 leaves and earth. The few larvae which had undergone their seventh 

 molting, had at this time attained a length when in motion of two 

 and one-fourth inches. 



On the 1st of April, eleven of the larvae were found to have survived 

 the winter. These were provided with growing plants, beneath glass, 

 for food, but manifested an indisposition to eat, seeming in a feeble 

 condition. On the 27th of April, two of the number were observed 

 to be feeding nicely. The others died without partaking of any food. 



The two larvae without again molting, or materially increas- 

 ing in size, spun cocoons of a dark colored silk interwoven with 



* A description of the larva at this stage, is given by Mr. W. Saunders, in the Canadian Entomolo- 

 gist, 1871, vol. iii, p. 225. 



