BIRCH CATERPILLARS. 487 
is stated to feed on \%ild cherry. Morris (Synop. Lepid. N. A., 1862, p. 2) describes 
larva and imago, giving for food-plaut "various species of Prunus." Saunders (Can. 
Entom., Feb., 1869, v. 1, p. 53,54) describes egg and young larva, and later (op. cit., 
Apr., 1869, v. i, p. 74) describes adult larva. Scudder (Amer. Nat., Aug., 1869, v. 3, 
p. 330) gives as food-plants: apple, Crataegus, Prunus virginiana, cultivated cherry, 
Ahui8, Liriodendron tulipifera, Fraxinus sambucifolia, Betula, Tilia, and Quercus, and 
later (Can. Entom., May, 1872, v. 4, p. 84), on authority of Abbot, gives Fraxinus 
trifoliata and F. ^platycarpa. Saunders (Can. Entom., Jan., 1874, v. 6, p. 2-5) describes 
and figures larva and imago, and (op. cit., Nov., 1883, v. 15, p. 204) adds Magnolia 
acuminata to the recorded food-plants. Gruber (Papilio, May, 1884, v. 4, p. 86,87) 
gives notes on the five stages of the larva. 
Larva. — Body very thick, soft, smooth, cylindrical, thickest on the first abdominal 
segment, thence tapering rapidiy towards the end. On the metathoracic segment 
two large subdorsal eye-like spots in the middle of the segment, formed of a yellow 
ring edged externally with black, with a black center containing a blue streak. Pos- 
terior edge of the fourth segment yellow, with a narrow black streak behind. Pro- 
thoracic segment scarcely wider than the head, with the front edge straw-yellow. 
Head lilac rust-red. All the feet pale green. Body rich velvety pea-green, whitish 
green on the under side. Length, 38 mm . 
The butterfly. — Yellow, with a broad black edge containing a row of yellow spots; 
forewings with four short black bands reaching in from the costal edge ; the hind 
wings with long tails and with an orange-red spot near their hind angle. Expanse 
of wings, 4£ to 5 inches. 
12. Ceratomia amyntor Hiibner. 
Already described under the head of elm insects, the only tree upon 
which we have found this insect in the caterpillar stage. I append the 
following notes by Mrs. Dimmock, who has found it oftener on the white 
birch than the elm: 
Ceratomia amyntor Hiibn. (Samrnl. Exot. Schmett., 1806-1824, v. 2, Lepid. 2, Sph. 
3, leg. 4, mand. b, pond. 4) [= C. quadricornis Harr. (Amer. Journ. Sci. and Arts, July, 
1839, [s. i], v. 36, p. 293)]. Harris (I. c.) describes the larva and imago ; the same 
author (Rept. Ins. Injur. Veg., 1841, p. 227, 228) briefly describes the larva and imago, 
and later (Treatise on ins. injur, veg., 1862, p. 323, 324) adds a figure of the larva and 
imago; still later (Entom. Corresp., 1869, p. 282) he briefly describes the egg, young 
larva, and pupa. Morris (Synop. Lepid. N. A. 1862, p. 205,206) describes larva, pupa, 
and imago. Lintner (Proc. Entom. Soc. Phil., Dec, 1862, v. 1, p. 286-293) gives an 
excellent description of the egg, the five stages of the larva, and the pupa. Minot 
(Can. Entom., Nov., 1869, v. 2, p. 28) describes the egg and the young larva; he states 
that the larva molts six times. Andrews (Can. Entom., Feb., 1876, v. 8, p. 40) and 
Bunker (op. cit., June, 1876, v. 8, p. 120) discuss the brown form of the larva. The 
before-meutioned authors give only Uhnus as food-plant; Goodell (Psyche, July 
[Dec], 1832, v. 3, p. 368) gives Uhnus and Betula alba as food-plants. Taken in Cam- 
bridge, Mass., oftener on Betula alba than on Ulmus. (Psyche, iv, 231,282.) 
13. Smerhithus excacatus Abb. and Smith.* 
Although I have more commonly found this caterpillar on the willow, 
and sometimes on the poplar and birch, Mrs. Dimmock says it is not 
* I subjoin the description of a Smeriuthus larva, perhaps of this species, feeding 
on the leaves late in September and during the first week in October, which began to 
pupate October 3, at Providence. 
Larva. — Head rather large, triangular in front, tho vertex ending in two minute 
rounded tubercles, and with a paler green line on the side of the head. Labrum 
