THE SEMITBOPICAL AHMV WORM. 55 
covered with whitish down, from the body of the female. They are 
distinctly green when first deposited and have the appearance illus- 
trated ai A and <■. 
The larva, — The caterpillar resembles that of the other two species 
of Prodenia sufficiently to be naturally referred to that genus, and 
it is subject to similar variation in color. The ground color is dark 
grayish in pale individuals and nearly black in the dark form-. 
These latter, especially when approaching maturity in the penulti- 
mate stage, are sometimes so dark as to resemble Mamestra. The 
body is ornamented with a narrow, slightly interrupted, median yel- 
low longitudinal dorsal stripe, a similar slightly wider dorso-median 
stripe, and a wide and brighter yellow substigmatal -tripe, which 
becomes obscured in the thoracic segments of the penultimate stage. 
In the very dark forms the triangular velvety dorsal spots character- 
istic of the genus can scarcely be seen, and in the paler form- they are 
seldom as distinct as in the other two species. When full-grown the 
larva measures about an inch and a fourth to an inch and a half in 
length (25-37 mm ). and the width varies from one-fourth of an inch 
to a little larger. The head measures nearly 2.5 mm . 
The mature larva is illustrated at f and g of figure 8 and a dark 
form nearly grown at e. 
The pupa. — The pupa resembles closely that of Prodenia comme- 
lince. The head and abdomen are well rounded. The color is 
mahogany-brown, with the head, spiracles, and anterior edges of the 
abdominal segments darker. The surface is smooth and shining, 
with the anterior edges of the abdominal segments finely punctured. 
The anal segment terminates in a two-spined cremaster-like process. 
Length, 16-18 mm : width, 5-6 mm ; length of head to end of the wing- 
cases, 10 mm . 
The following technical description of the egg and larval stages 
was kindly contributed by Dr. H. G. Dyar. 
rBCHNICAL DESCRIPTION OF HIK BOG AND LARVAL STAGES. 
The egg. — Hemispherical, smooth, pale green, shining; ribs very tine. 
obscure, numerous, ill-defined, radiating from the micropyle; cross-strise imper- 
ceptible. Diameter, o.(> mm . Laid in a patch, covered by a thin layer of whitish 
Wool. 
Stage I. — Head rounded, bilobed, month pointed, whining greenish-black; 
eyes black, month brown; width about o.: > , m,ii . Body robust, uniform, joint 12 
Blightly enlarged, foot of joints 7 and B a littlo Smaller than the others and Dot 
used in walking; translucent greenish, cervical shield, lei: plates, thoracic feet, 
anal plate, and the large round tubercles shining black: tubercles i and ii of 
joint L2 in a square; seta> rather coarse, moderate, black, simple. 
si, i ;/ , ll. Head rounded. Blightly bilobed. the vertex level with joint 'J. shin- 
in.- luteoiis. blackish shaded over the vertices of the lobes; ocelli black, month 
brown, width. 0.4""". Body somewhat thickened at joints ."• and 12, feel normal. 
equal; greenish luteous, cervical shield and anal plate blackish Infuscated; 
56968°— Bull. M— 10 5 
