73 



honeysuckle in the early evening. I have never seen the moths occur 

 in numbers in June. 



By June 12 the tobacco plants have usually been partially set out, 

 but many are set later in some seasons. 



The early motbs, iu my observations, confined themselves to tobacco 

 plants remaining in the plant beds, and the earliest recorded egg lay- 

 ing occurred June 20. After this date eggs were constantly found, 

 but in small numbers, up until after the middle of July, when they 

 became more abundant. They are always deposited singly and nearly 

 always on the under side of the leaf. 



From the fact that eggs are deposited in the dusk of evening, it is 

 not easy to be certain that one has the exact date of oviposition in any 

 case, as the eggs are necessarily not found until the next day. How- 

 ever, eggs, presumably fresh, hatched in periods varying from four to 

 eight days. 



The first molt occurs under normal conditions almost invariably on 

 the fourth or fifth day from hatching. The subsequent molts occur 

 quite regularly in four to five day periods, there being invariably four 

 molts before pupation. Frequently the larva? eat the eggshells after 

 hatching and the shed skin after the earlier molts. A sample record 

 will illustrate the statement as to periods of molting: 



July 20, 1891, two eggs (not freshly deposited) ; July 21, both have 

 hatched; July 25, first molt occurred; July 28, one larva disappeared; 

 July 30, remaining larva molted second time; August 4, third molt; 

 August 8, fourth molt; August 13, larva full grown, burrowed in soil; 

 August 25, pupa removed in good condition. 



The records of a large number of larva?, carried through from egg to 

 pupation, showed four ecdyses, with characteristic changes in the larva?, 

 before attaining full growth and burrowing in the earth for pupation. 

 After entering the soil the larva? burrow extensively, in some instances, 

 before coming to rest and forming the oblong cell in which pupation 

 takes place. This cell is simply a cavity in the earth, made by pressing 

 the earth particles firmly and smoothly out of the way, so that before 

 pupation the larva lies free therein. Pupation, in my observation, 

 never occurs under seven days from time of entering the soil, and is 

 usually completed within twelve days. 



These records are of worms in confinement, and I should say that 

 the larva? on entering the soil often showed much restlessness under 

 these conditions. 



The number of broods per year is a matter of some interest. Having 

 approximately settled the question of first occurrence of imago and the 

 beginning of oviposition, as full observations as circumstances per- 

 mitted were made on growth period of the larva? and period from 

 pupation to issuance of imago. 



The earliest recorded larva? observed hatched June 21. The earliest 

 larva of which full record was made hatched June 28. Two larvrc of 



