400 FIFTH REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 
r 
Ki., 151 —Maple slug worm.— BridgLam del. 
30. THE AMERICAN SILK-WORM. 
Telea polyphemus Hiibner. 
According to Mr. E. B. Reed, this insect " frequently attacks maples, 
and from the enormous size of the caterpillar and its voracious appe- 
tite a <rreat deal of damage is often done. 77 (Report Ontario Ent. Soc. 
for 1872, p. 39.) Mrs. Dimmock has contributed the following historical 
account of this insect to Psyche, iv, p. 277 : 
Attacus polyphemus Fabr. (Species iiisector., 1761, v. 2, p. 166). Among the very 
nutuerous articles which have been published concerning this species the following 
are worthy of citation. Harris (Rept. Ins Injur. Veg., 1641, p. '276-279) describes 
larva, cocoon, and imago ; later (Treatise on Ins. Iujur. Veg., 1662, p. :564-3-?6) he adds 
a figure of the imago, and (Eutom. Corresp., 1669, p. 294, pi. 4, rig. 17) a figure of the 
larva. Morris (Synop. Lepid. N. A., 1662, p. 226-227) describes larva and imago, and 
(op. cit., p. 209) describes the egg, which he mistook for that of Smerinthus excaecatus. 
Trouvelot (Amer. Nat.. 1867, v. i, p. 30-38, 85-94, 145-149, pi. 5-6) gives an extended 
account of this species which he tried to rear, ou a considerable scale, for its silk : he 
describes the egg, larva, pupa, aud cocoon, and figures the larva, pupa, cocoon, and 
male and female imagos, as well as Ophioti macrurum, a parasite of the larva : he says 
there are at least six varieties of the imagos. Packard (Guide Study In>.. 18 
297, pi. 6-7) repeats Trouvelot's figures. Riley [?] (Amer. Entom.. March 1669, v. i, 
p. 121-122) figures the imago and describes the larva and imago. Riley (4th Ann. 
Rept. State Eutom. Mo. .1672. p. 125-129) describes egg, larva, cocoon, pupa, and imago. 
and figures larva, pupa, cocoon, aud male and female imagos : contrary to Trouvelot, 
who stated that there are six larval stages, Riley gives the number of molts as four, 
making five larval stages. Lintuer (Entom. Contrib. [No. 1], 1872, p. 6) gives a note 
ou the coloration of the eggs, aud (op. cit., No. 3. 1674, p. 158) describes the egg. 
Gentry (Can. Eutom., May 1674, v. 6, p. 86) describes the normal form and a variety 
of the larva. Grote (Can. Entom., Sept. 16?*;, v. 10, p. 176) states that this species is 
double-brooded iu the South; Trouvelot (/. c.) was unable to raise two broods to ma- 
turity in Massachusetts, and Brodie (Papilio, April L882, v. 2. p. 60) writes that '-in 
long and warm seasons about 50 per cent, are double-brooded, but this is against 
the increase of the species, as cold weather usually sets In before the larva? are fully 
matured." Packard (Bull. T. U. S. Entom. Comm., 1881, p. 18) figures the larva. 
Saunders (Can. Entom, March 1882, v. 14. p. 41-45) figures and describes the larva, 
pupa, cocoon, and male and female imagos: he further figures Ophion macrurum, a 
parasite of the larva Brodie (Papilio, May 1882, v. 2. p. 63) states that normally 
this insect conies from its cocoon at about 11 a. m. Wailly (Bull. Soc. Acclim. France, 
May 1882, 8. 3, v. 'J. p. 265) gives some notes upon the larva and imago. A compila- 
