528 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



tions of the urticating spines on the brown tail moth larva, Euproctis 

 chrysorrhoea Linn, failed to detect a poison. A number of these 

 peculiar larvae are oval in shape, with the flattened surface closely appressed 

 to the leaf, giving them the appearance of brightly colored, very large 

 scale insects or slufrs. The general appearance is not at all suggestive of 

 their natural affinities. A few representative forms are noticed briefly. 



The hag - moth caterpillar, Phobetron pithecium Abb. & Sm., 

 is a brownish, sluglike caterpillar about y inch long and with from a few 

 to 10 long, plumelike processes extending from either side of the back. It 

 occurs from July till September on the foliage of a number of trees and 

 occasionally is somewhat abundant. Specimens were sent the writer in 

 August 1902 with a statement that it was so numerous at Westwood N. Y. 

 as to destroy the leaves of several large maple branches. This larva is 

 supposed to sting severely, yet Miss Emily L. Morton has handled dozens 

 of them and states that she has met with no injury therefrom. This slug 

 caterpillar occurs on various low shrubs and the lower branches of trees, hav- 

 ing been recorded on various oaks, chestnut, ash, apple, cherry, plum, sugar 

 maple, sassafras, witch-hazel and dogwood. 



The saddleback caterpillar, Si bine stimulea Clem., is another 

 common slug caterpillar and a very striking species. It is a brownish cater- 

 pillar about 1 inch long, apparently with a green saddlecloth on its back 

 and a brownish saddle, the latter margined with white and edged with a 

 black line. Both the anterior and posterior extremities are adorned with 

 long, brown, spined tubercles. This striking larva is capable of inflicting a 

 very severe sting. It occurs commonly on oak and cherry. 



Another striking species, Euclea indetermina Boisd., is about 

 S/g to y inch long when full grown, oval in shape, with a series of six fiery 

 red lines along the back on either side. It is banded with red, lined with 

 black and with pale yellow and white markings. This larva feeds on vari- 

 ous low bushes and limbs of trees, having been recorded from wild cherry, 

 oak, hickory and bayberry. 



Another type of slug caterpillar, Euclea d e 1 p h i n i i Boisd., when 



