ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 



235 



The larva of the Grape-vine Plume invariably 

 hatches very soon alter the leaves begin to ex- 

 pand ; and though it is very generally called the 

 Leaf-foldek, it must uot be confouuded witli 

 the true Leaf-folder, described in our last num- 

 ber, and which eloes its principal damage later 

 in the season. At first the larva of our Plume 

 is smooth and almost destitute of hairs, brt 

 after each moult the hairs become more percep- 

 tible, and vrhen full grown the larva appears as 

 at Figure 148, a, the hairs arising from a trans- 

 verse row of warts, each joint having four above 

 and six below the breathing-pores* (see Fig. 

 148, e). After feeding for about three weeks 

 our little worm fastens itself securely by the 

 hind legs to the underside of some leaf or other 

 object, and, casting its hairy skin, transforms 

 to the pupa state. This pupa (Fig. 148, h), 

 with the lower part of the three or four terminal 

 joints attached to a little silk previously spun 

 by the worm, hangs at a slant of about 40''. 

 It is of peculiar and characteristic form, being 

 ridged and angular, with numerous projections, 

 and having remnants of the larval warts ; it is 

 obliquely truncated at the head, but is chiefly 

 distinguished by two compressed sharp-pointed 

 horns, one of which is enlarged at Figure 148, 

 c, projecting from the middle of the back: it 

 measures, on au average, rather more than one- 

 third inch, and varies in color from light green 

 with darker green shadings, to pale straw-color 

 with light brown shadings. 



The moth (Fig. 148, d) escapes from this 

 pupa in about one week, and, like all the species 

 belonging to the genus, it has a very active and 

 impetuous flight, and rests with the wings closed 

 and stretched at right angles from the body, so 

 as to recall the letter T- 1 1 is of a tawny yellow 

 color, the front wings marked with white and 

 dark brown as in the figure, the hind wings 

 appearing like burnished copper, and the legs 

 being alternately banded with white and tawny 

 yellow. 



All the moths of the family (Alucitid.e) to 

 which it belongs have the wings split up into 

 narrow feather-like lobes, and for this reason 



• As Dr. Fitcli's lU'Scription of this larva is the only one 

 we know of, aiu\ is rather incomiilttf, wc subjoin the fol- 

 h>wing for the scientillc reader: 



Matlrk Larva of I'TEuopnoitts i'Bhiscelidactylus — 

 Average length 0.50 inch. Color pale greenish-yellow, 

 •loints separated by deep constrictions. Each joint with a 

 transverse row of lai'ge cream-colored warts, giving rise to 

 solt white hairs, many of wliich are slightly clubbed at tip . 

 Four of these warts above, and six below stigmata, the four 

 lower smaller than the six upper ones The hairs from warts 

 above stigmata (bveri^inir in all directions and straight, those 

 from the row iiiunediiilciv liel.iw slinmatadecurving. Other 

 short and nu.ie iriiiute'club-lipind hairs spring from the 

 general surfaceofthe body between the warts. Head yellow 

 with labruin slightly tawny. Legs aUso yellow, immaculate 

 and very long and slender. Described from numerous living 

 specimens . 



they have very appropriately been called Plumes 

 in popular language. In the genus Pterophnrus 

 the front wings arc divided into two, and the 

 hind wings into three lobes. In this country, 

 a somewhat larger species (/'. carduidarlylus, 

 lliley) occurs on the Thistle, ai.d though bear- 

 ing a close resemblance to the Gra|>e-vine Plume 

 ill color and markings, yet dificrs very remark- 

 ably in the larva and pupa states. 



From analogy we infer that there arc two 

 broods of these worms each year, and that the 

 last brood passes the winter in the moth state. 

 Wc have, however, never noticed any second 

 appearance of them, aud whether this is from 

 the fact that the vines are covered with a denser 

 foliage in the summer than in the spring, or 

 whether there is really but one brood, are points 

 in the history of our little Plume which yet have 

 to be settled by further observation. 



On account of its spinning habit this insect 

 is easily kept in check by hand picking. 



The Pear-Leaf Fungus (HoesteUa mncellata). 

 — According to the Gardener's Chronicle this i/" 

 fungus seems to be unusually abundant this 

 year. Its connection, if not its identity, with 

 the curious yellow fleshy fungus often found ou 

 the Savin Juniper (Podisovia sabina;), has been 

 asserted by M. QSrstcd, and confirmed by M. 

 Decaisne. The latter botanist placed two plants 

 of Savin aflected with Podisoma, one in the 

 ground in the midst of four perfectly healthy 

 young Pear trees, and the other among the 

 branches of a large, equally healthy Pear tree 

 (^Bon Cure), at a distance of si.x to eight feet 

 I'rom the ground, ^^fter a few days the lUvstelia 

 appeared upon almost all the leaves of the five 

 Pears. Moreover, some leaves which were pur- 

 posely smeared on their under surface with the 

 slimy mucus of the Podisoma were speedily 

 reddened over by the linsielia. M. Uozc, how- 

 ever, has not succeeded in his endeavors to 

 repeat this experiment, and he calls attention to 

 a circumstance which is very significant, that is 

 to say, the presence of (rue Puccinia (smut) on 

 the Podisoma of the Savin in some seasons, and 

 its absence in others, from which he cautiously 

 surmises that the Pear-leaf fungus may be a 

 form of the Puccinia. — Science Gossip. 



At a late meeting of the London Entomologi- 

 cal Society, Mr. Westwood exhibited an Apho- 

 dius, which was given to him by M. Jeiiyii.'?, 

 who assured him that this insect was frequently 

 vomited bv the Hottentots. 



