No. 115.] 89 



upon the stalk, with which it nearly agrees in color, holding firmly 

 by its three pairs of long legs and eight pairs of conspicuous pro- 

 legs, with its flattened, round, large head, which is white in front 

 black on the sides and brown above, busily plying its quadrate 

 black mandibles as it bites from the tip of the stalk, and turns its 

 head and part of its body about the stalk tor that purpose. If 

 disturbed, it simply draws its head inward without curling side- 

 ways, or elevating its terminal end, or emitting a liquid after the 

 manner of so many of the saw-fly larvae. 



The number of legs that this larva has — twenty-two — will at 

 once serve to distinguish it from the caterpillars of our moths 

 and butterflies, which never have more than sixteen legs. The 

 general resemblance to a caterpillar in most of its other features 

 has given to the group the name of " false caterpillars." 



I would be very glad, if this attack is observed elsewhere, par- 

 ticularly in the State of New York, that the information be sent 

 me, together with a number of the larvae for rearing the perfect 

 insect that the new depredator may be ascertained. 



Until we know what the insect is, and its habits and 

 transformations, the information asked for in the above commu- 

 nication cannot be given. 



Effort was made to rear the larvae that were sent me, but they 

 came in so poor condition that but one made its cocoon, and 

 that will probably not mature. 



Mr. L. O. Howard, of the Division of Entomology, Department 

 of Agriculture at Washington, in a communication made to me 

 based upon publications of this insect attack in the Country 

 Gentleman of June twenty-fourth, writes: 



I beg to call your attention to pages 387, 388 of Prof. Riley's 

 report for 1884. One of the larvae described by Mr. Webster is 

 identical with the species which has done so much damage this 

 season in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. We have 

 reared and figured at the department three distinct species 

 feeding on wheat, and the one which you have is probably Dolerus 

 arvensis Say. 



I had previously examined the larval descriptions of Prof. 

 Webster and could not reconcile either of them with the examples 

 before me. 



In Bulletin No. 4, Division of Entomology of the Department 

 of Agriculture, 1884, page 76, mention is made of some larvae 



