a 4 



They are usually solitary in their habits, but occasionally two or even three may be 

 found on a single leaf, showing that the eggs are sometimes so deposited. At first they 

 eat small holes in the leaf, but as they increase in size they' consume all parts of it, the 

 framework as well as the softer substance. 



The full-grown larva (Fig. 39) is nearly one and a half inches long, tapering towards 

 the head, thickening towards the posterior extremity. The head is medium sized, rounded, 

 of an orange color, -with a few round black dots and pale brownish hairs. 



The body above is pale bluish, crossed by bands of orange and many lines of black. 

 Each segment except the terminal one is crossed by an orange band, all of which are 

 nearly uniform in width, excepting that on the twelfth "segment, which is much wider. 

 On the terminal segment there are two bands. All of these are more or less dotted with 

 round black dots, from each one of which arises a single short brown hair. There are 

 also, crossing each segment, six black lines, placed nearly at equal distances along each 

 side, but with a wider space in the middle where the orange band occurs. The twelfth 

 segment is much raised, and tha terminal one suddenly sloped. The stigmata are oval 

 and black. 



The under side is very similar to the upper, marked also with orange and black. 

 Feet and prolegs orange spotted with black. 



The larva feeds on Virginia creeper (Ampelopsis quinquefolia) as well as on the vine,, 

 as also does the preceding species. 



When full-grown it descends from the vine to seek some suitable location in which 

 to pass its chrysalfsor inactive stage, when, being without power of locomotion or defence, 

 it would be at the mercy of any enemy which might chance to cross its path. Harris 

 says the larva burrows its way a short distance underground, and there changes to a pupa 

 without forming a cocoon. We have frequently had them transform in a pill-box, without 

 earth or any other covering, and they have usually survived and produced in good time 

 the perfect insect. Mr. Riley, in his second report, states that the larvae have a fondness 

 for borinc into old pieces of wood, and within the chamber which they excavate change 

 to chrysalis, and Mr. Ashton, of White Creek, N.Y., has found them frequently boring 

 into corn cobs, which, he says, they prefer to going under ground. Hence Mr. Riley 

 advises the scattering of a few corn cobs under the vines in summer, and the raking up 

 and burning them in winter, as one means of destroying this insect. He also suggested 

 to the writer, during a conversation on this subject, the idea of putting a few large corks 

 into boxes where the caterpillars were being reared, so that they might burrow into them, 

 and thus be better protected during the pupa state, which we found to serve an admirable 

 purpose, they availed themselves of such shelter very readily. In two small bungs about 

 one and a half inches in diameter, and an inch thick, we found twenty one enclosed 

 chrvsalids. The caterpillar excavates with its jaws a chamber but little larger than the 

 chrysalis which is to rest in it. It is not lined with silk, but u made moderately smooth. 

 This, when completed, is fastened over the top with a cap or cover, composed of minute 

 fragments of cork formed into a sort of membrane by means of a glutinous secretion asso- 

 ciated with threads of silk. When nicely finished its surface is slightly glossy, and the 

 glossiness extending a little over, beyond the actual orifice, indicates that the glutinous 

 matter has been of a thin consistence, and hence spread a little during its application. 

 When this lid is lifted the head of the chrysalis is usually found quite close to it. 



The chrysalis is about seven-tenths of an inch long, of a nearly uniform dark brown 

 color, roughened with small blackish points or granulations. The head case is somewhat 

 conical j the thorax and middle segments nearly cylindrical, while the posterior segments 

 are tapering, the terminal one having a pair of long tubercles above, and a pair of shorter 

 ones below. 



We incline to the opinion that this moth is sometimes double-brooded ; we have 

 reared the perfect insect repeatedly from caterpillars of the current year, and we have 

 found the larva in various stages of growth quite late in the season. 



This species is also subject to the attacks of a parasite, although a very different one 

 from that which we have referred to as infesting pampinatrix This is a dipterous or two- 

 winged fly, a Tachina, and we believe it to belong to the species known as the red-tailed 

 Tachina fly, Exorista leucania, (Fig. 40). This fly is not ualike the common house fly in 



