148 FIFTH REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 
deuse cocoon, but afterwards died. Another was bred, the moth ap- 
pearing June IS. It was a female, and when at rest sat with its tail in 
the air, as if standing on its head. 
Mr. S. Lowell Elliott assures me that he has bred the moth, which he 
has kindly shown me. from this larva.* He tells me that it feeds not 
only on the oak, but also on the v>ild plum and cherry, and that it 
low feeder. 
The following notes on this species have been given by Proft 
Riley, who has bred it: 
October *24. 1868: Found to-day in Maryland three conchiiopod larva 1 feeding on 
oak and agreeing with figure in Harris' Correspondence n. T . November '2, i- 
Found several of thaw larva-, while sugaring at night, feeding on various plant>. 
June 30, 1883: One of the moths issued to-day. July 16, 1683: One more issued. 
October 4. l«83: Found two larva.- in Virginia feeding on Q. alba. October 5. 188 
Several more were found on Q. alba, Q. rubra, and Alnus incana. October 10, 18G 
Two of the larva- have spun up. Found a few more on oak. There is but little 
variation in the color of this larva, only in the red spots on the dorsal space ; some of 
them are very pale and sometimes the posterior one is absent. From one of the 
larva- a Gordius issued. September 29, 1885 : Found one of the larva? on oak : it was 
parasitized by a tachiuid, which pupated October 11, 1885, the fly issuing October 16, 
1886. Tupublished notes.) 
Larva. — Body broad and flat, the prothoracic overhung by the mesothoraeic seg- 
ment; the V-shaped iucision so broad as to be almost obsolete, the body bring very 
broad: head pale green, a rather narrow median dorsal ridge, contracting in the 
middle and widening a little towards each end : it is hollow in the middle, and 
along the sides are ten small, narrow, flattened acute conical flaps, edged with green 
'sharp spinules. The first pair are short, blunt and red : of the other nine pairs the 
anterior ones are the larger. The front edge of the body is thickened, somewhat 
revolute, and tinged with red. Along the side of the body, on the thin projecting 
edge, is a row often flat, fleshy, triangular flaps, the edges with white, uneven fa 
From in front of the base of each flap an oblique sinuous trausverse ridge passes to 
the submediau dorsal ridge. There are two rows of scar-like round spots in the 
depressions between the lateral ridges, two scars in each depression. The spir 
are not visible seen sideways : the larva has to be turned over to discover them: 
they are slightly marked and situated under the projecting ridges of the side of the 
body. Behind the middle of the dorsal ridge are two red conical tubercles, whose 
6harp points nearly touch each other in the median line of the body. Another but 
smaller pair of red warts is situated half way between the first pair and the end of 
the body. The body is pea-green — a little brighter green than the glaucous under 
side of the oak leaf on which it feeds— and a little paler beneath than above. 
Length, 15 mm : width, T mm , not including the projections; height, 3.."> mm . Described 
from a larva found in Providence, R. I. 
Moth. — Body rather stout : fore wings with transverse waves or creases due to the 
arrangement of the scales, but with no markings ; dull. pale, cinnamon-brown, the 
hind wings slightly darker; the fore wings are not so wide as in Limaeodes. aud they 
are very slightly subfalcate. Expanse, .90 to 1.20 inches. 
■ This and other Limaeodea Lure, most of them colored conspicuously, sutler little 
from the attacks of birds, since they are protected by their nettling hairs, rendering 
them distasteful. Others, like Lithacodes Jasciola, which feed on the under side of 
leaves and are entirely grei -n. escape the observation of their enemies. Phobetron 
pithtcimn, on the other hand, mimics a brown, irregular dead patch of a leaf. Another 
aid to or means of safety in the smooth-bodies species is their slow gliding motion, 
which renders them less liable to be observed by passing birds. 
