361 



Scepsis edwardsii Grote. 



Egg. — Probably hemispherical, the base flat ; smooth. Diameter, .7 mm . The color 

 could not be ascertained, as the egg had hatched and the shell had been nearly de- 

 voured by the little larva. 



First larval stage. — Head shiny pale straw color, the eyes brown. Width, .4 11 "". 

 Body, semitransparent whitish; warts arranged as in the mature larva, small and 

 blackish, with scanty, but rather long black and white hairs. Length, 2.5 mm . 



Second larval stage. — Head shiny light yellow. Width, .5 mm . Body whitish, dorsal 

 band purplish obsolete anteriorly, in some examples interrupted by orange spots 

 posteriorly. Warts whitish, some of those on the dorsum black. Hair still rather 

 s canty. Length of larva, 4 mm . 



Third larval stage. — Head shiny pale yellow, eyes black, mouth whitish. Width, 

 .7 mm . The body varies somewhat in its markings, but the design is as follows: Body 

 whitish, a broad dark wine-red dorsal stripe, interrupted by orange spots on joints 

 4 and 12, the two upper rows of warts on joints 3, 5, 8, 11, and 13 black, the rest 

 whitish ; a white subdorsal line. The hairs are long, white, and black. Length of 

 larva, 5 mm . 



Fourth larval stage. — Head pale yellow, the triangular plate and mouth white ; 

 eyes black ; width, .9 mm . Body pale yellowish white with a white subdorsal line. 

 Joints 3, 5, 8, 11, and 13 are black in the subdorsal space as are the warts. The other 

 segments are tinged with orange, especially joints 4 and 12. 



Fifth larval stage. — Head yellowish orange, triangular plate, mouth, and palpi 

 white, the former bordered above by a deep black shade, more or less extensive. Eyes 

 black ; width of head, 1.2 mm . Body as before ; length, I0 mm . 



Sixth larval stage. — Head as in the mature larva ; width, 1.6 mm . Body very pale 

 yellow, with a narrow interrupted white st ; gmatal, rather broad yellowish white sub- 

 dorsal, and broad black dorsal band, the latter dilated on joints 3, 5, 8, 11, and 13 to 

 inclose and cover the two upper rows of warts, nearly interrupted on joints 4 and 12 

 by a large orange patch, and on joints 6, 7, 9, and 10 bisecting a fainter orange patch. 

 Hair white, but largely black from the black warts. Length of larva, about 14 mm . 

 The pencils of brown hair found on the mature larva on joint 5 are present in some 

 examples, though small. 



Seventh larval stage. — As in the previous stage, but the pencils on joint 5 are more 

 prominent and the transverse band on joint 4, found in the mature larva, is present, 

 being yellowish tinged with orange. Width of head, 2.2 mm . Length of larva, 20 mm . 



Eighth larval stage. — Mature larva. Head, brownish red ; triangular plate, mouth 

 and palpi white, the former bordered above by a broad black band. Jaws and eyes 

 black. Width of head, 3 mm . Cervical spot, blackish, bisected. The warts are 

 arranged as follows : On joint 2, which is much contracted, are two small warts at the 

 spiracle ; on joints 5 to 12 is a row of warts in the subdorsal space, situated aute- 

 riorly ; a subdorsal row ; a superstigmatal row; a substigmatal row; two subven- 

 tral rows on joints 5 to 12, the upper small; only one row on joints 3 and 4. Joint 

 13 has the upper warts reduced in number and has a row of small ones on che anal 

 plate. Body dirty whitish, a blackish shade on the dorsum, with subdorsal, and 

 traces of stigmatal, yellowish white band; above the former, on joints 5 to 10 and 

 on 12, is a faint orange patch, the brightest beiug on joint 12. Posteriorly on joint 

 4, across the subdorsal space, is a pinkish white band with a dark border anteriorly, 

 and on joint 5, from the warts in the subdorsal space (first row) grow two little pen- 

 cils of brownish red-plumed hairs. Sometimes similar but much smaller pencils appear 

 from the subdorsal warts (second row) of joint 12. The warts all bear yellowish, 

 bristly hairs, some of which overhang the head. Legs concolorous with the body, 

 the claspers of the abdomiual tipped with brown. Length of larva, 30 mm . 



Cocoon.— Spun on any flat surface without covering. It is made of silk and the 

 larval hairs which are laid more roughly at thepoint at which the imago will emerge. 

 The whole of the under side is fastened to the supporting surface. 



