NO. 7 THE GOLD-BANDED SKIPPER CLARK 39 



leaflets of Rohinia pseudacacia. With these on Meihomia pankulata 

 and on M. dillenii we also found, in much smaller numbers, the cater- 

 pillars of Achalarus lyciades. 



The caterpillars of both these species were in all stages, from those 

 just hatched to the fully grown. The caterpillar of Rhabdoides cellus 

 is easily distinguished from that of the other two species by its apple- 

 green color and especially by the broad bright yellow lateral line. 



The shelters made by the small caterpillars of E par gyre us tityriis 

 and of Achalarus lyciades are alike, but they differ from the shelters 

 made by the small caterpillars of Rhabdoides cellus. A long slit is 

 made in a leaflet running inward at an angle more or less approxi- 

 mating 45° with the edge for a distance of about 6 mm. Then about 

 8 mm nearer the base of the leaflet another cut is made more or less 

 at right angles to the edge of the leaflet to a depth of about 5 mm. 

 The inner ends of these two cuts are 2 or 3 mm apart. The flap 

 formed by these cuts is now bent inward over the upper surface of the 

 leaflet and fastened down at the angles formed by the cuts and the 

 outer margin of the leaflet. The two cut edges are left unfastened. 

 The caterpillars of Epargyreus tityrus and of Achalarus lyciades enter 

 and leave the shelters through the lenticular openings at the ends, 

 whereas those of Rhabdoides cellus enter and leave the shelters under 

 the long inner edge. 



The shelters of the small caterpillars of Rhabdoides cellus, looking 

 like little green limpets along the edge of the hog-peanut leaflet on the 

 upper side, are at once distinguishable from the slightly and evenly 

 convex shelters of the similarly small caterpillars of Epargyreus 

 tityrus and Achalarus lyciades. 



In the last stage the caterpillars of both Epargyreus tityrus and 

 AcMlarus l\ciades make their shelters quite after the fashion of those 

 of Rhabdoides cellus, at first folding inward a portion of the leaflet 

 between two well-spaced cuts and fastening it down, and later, when 

 they have become large and heavy, fastening two leaflets together. 

 On Robinia pseudacacia the larger caterpillars of Epargyreus tityrus 

 fasten together from two to eight, usually four or six, of the small 

 leaflets. 



We have never found the caterpillars of Rliabdoides cellus on any 

 plant other than the hog-peanut. Though we havt found hundreds of 

 the caterpillars of Epargyreus tityrus, we have never found but one 

 on the hog-peanut in this region. This was a fully grown one in a 

 shelter formed of two leaflets, and it may possibly have strayed to the 

 hog-peanut from some other plant. 



