ENTOMOLOGICAL CONTRIBUTIONS. 139 



The larva no longer confines itself to the surface of the leaf, but 

 commencing at the margin, now eats the entire body except the veins. 

 Its method of eating is peculiar. Extended on the surface of the 

 leaf (usually the lower surface) at a right angle with its margin, it 

 bends its head over the edge in a position to grasp it with its 

 mandibles. Its collar, which is quite extensible, is thrown forward 

 with its sides appressed closely to the two surfaces of the leaf, 

 entirely enveloping the head. From its position, one-half of the 

 collar is hidden beneath the body ; the other half is seen on the 

 opposite side of the leaf as a triangular fleshy piece, having its 

 anterior edge in range with the line of the body. On one occasion 

 while feeding, when a small bit of leaf had been detached and was 

 held by the anterior pair of legs, the favorable position of the larva 

 for its observation, displayed both of the lateral edges of the collar 

 folded on the piece, and holding it between them, while within, as 

 disclosed by the regular motion of the body and the gradual disap- 

 pearance of the leaf, the mouth was in active operation, wholly 

 concealed from even a direct front view, except when a slight eleva- 

 tion of a portion of the collar chanced to disclose a section of a black 

 mandible. 



When in readiness for its fourth molting, the larva at rest, measures 

 7-10ths of an inch long, and 28-100ths of an inch broad. From having 

 been up to this period entirely white, the body now shows patches 

 of coloring. Two or three days after it has affixed itself for its molt, 

 the colors become defined in shade and outline. * There now are 

 seen blackish bands on the terminal segments, a line of elongate 

 black spots above the legs, a white stigmatal band with a row of 

 blackish spots above, and an obscure salmon shade suffusing the 

 entire dorsal region. In these colors are revealed the new clothing 

 nearly matured whicli the larva is about to assume, closely folded to 

 the body in separate pencils of hairs, and partially seen through the 

 translucent skin. 



Fourth molt August 20th, and several following days : length 

 75-100ths, breadth 3-10ths of an inch. The withdrawal of the larva 

 from its old integument occupies about five minutes of time. As 

 the segments successively emerge, the hairs appear as wet pencils 

 appressed to the body, which rise up as they are released from their 

 confinement, and very soon becoming dry, diverge and entirely cover 



*A larva taken at Center, after its third molt, took its position for its fourth change during: the night 

 of August 27-8; the bands were visible on the 31st, and the molting occurred on the afternoon of 

 September 1st, nearly four days having been required to complete the change. 



