162 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 
interspaces being easily disposed of. After tearing through two or 
three of the striæ, the larva rests awhile from its efforts, and then 
begins afresh. On the upper flat surface there appears a black forked 
line, which varies in different specimens, which is caused by the diverging 
lines on the front of the head showing through; the lines varying as the 
position of the head is changed. After one hour and thirty-five minutes 
had been spent in these efforts (including frequent rests), the top was 
gnawed nearly around, when the head was pushed up, and the lid tilted 
over. The larva now rested for about ten minutes, although there was 
no obstacle to its egress, and then commenced to extricate itself, by first 
bending its head backwards and forwards, and stretching upwards. The 
second segment, with the first pair of feet, was soon extricated ; the feet 
were placed on the side of the egg-shell, and thus a foothold gained by 
which to help to withdraw the third segment with the second par. In 
hke manner the fourth segment was soon extricated ; then working its 
body from side to side with the head upwards, and alternately working it 
round with the head downwards, grasping with its jaws at adjoining eggs, 
or anything else within reach, the remaining segments were speedily 
withdrawn, the whole operation not occupying more than five or six 
minutes. 
Description of young larva fresh from the egg :— 
Length about 5 of an inch, cylindrical. 
Head large, rounded ; colour dark greenish-brown, nearly black, with 
a forked line in front like an inverted Y, the diverging lines uniting a little 
above the middle, and the single line continued to the tip. à 
Body above dull pale yellowish, each segment with a transverse row of 
slightly darker raised dots, each emitting a single pale brown moderately 
long hair ; on terminal segment is a yellowish patch above. 
Under surface similar to upper ; feet pale, senutransparent ; prolegs 
pale yellowish. 
Not knowing the food plant of this species, I tried the larvæ, in vain, 
on a great variety of plants and shrubs, including violet, pansy, willow, 
grass, clover, polygonum, and purslane, changing the food about every ' 
two or three hours for about two days and a half, by which time all but 
three had died of starvation. Then on examining “ Abbot’s Notes on 
Georgian Butterflies,” as published by Mr. Scudder, Can. ENT., vol. 4, 
p. 85, I found that the larva of zsmeria, a closely allied species, feeds on 
Helianthus. No time was lost in procuring some common sunflower 
