54 EXTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., '13 



was found on July 22 upon the surface of the soil, where it 

 was very difficult to see. It was composed almost entirely 

 of the hairs from the caterpillar's body, the black ones pre- 

 dominating. Its exterior was covered with particles of dust 

 and twigs. The moth emerged early in the morning of August 

 7. On August 27, 1902, in the same locality it was noted that 

 the caterpillars of this moth were very numerous and in dif- 

 ferent stages of development. The milkweed plant was being 

 frequently stripped of its foliage by them. They are gregari- 

 ous, resting in clusters. A colony of the larvae obtained dur- 

 ing the first few days of September pupated on the fourth of 

 that month in a mass on the paper forming the bottom of a 

 bell- jar under which they had been confined. The cocoons 

 were clinging together and, when handled, hundreds of the 

 hairs of which they were constructed entered the hands like 

 so many prickles from a cactus ; they cause the tender por- 

 tions to itch. The cocoon adheres closely to the pupa, which 

 shows no sign of life when handled. 



5. Miscellaneous Notes on Malacosoma americana (Fabricius). 



(Lepid.).* 



The cocoons of this species are composed: (i) of an outer 

 layer of loose folds of silk, (2) a middle layer, compact, and 

 (3) an inner layer still more compact, the silk finer. They are 

 covered with a golden-yellow, or sometimes whitish, powder. 

 The pupae are more or less covered with a fine white powder. 



From cocoons collected May 29, 1902, and kept in the 

 laborator)% several moths emerged on June 9 and five others 

 on June 13. On June 10 a few moths were observed in the 

 field. During the night of June 12-13 four egg masses were 

 deposited by the moths in the laboratory and seven had been 

 obtained by June 21, when moths were still emerging. Emer- 

 gence continued until June 30, or for a period of at least as 

 long as a month. Although the larvae leave the nest and crawl 

 to the ground to construct their cocoons in the grass, under 

 fence rails, logs, boards, stones and so on, still a few use the 

 nest for that purpose as well as the crevices of the bark of the 



* See also Note 3, page 401, Vol. XXIII. 



