182 
MEMOIRS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 
the ISth of February. Others spun on tlie 29th of IMarch, and came out on the 2d of May. 
The whole brood feeds together, esi)ecially when small.” 
Mr. James Fletcher re])orts that in 1884 the caterpillai's appeared in great numbers and were 
most injurious to both oaks and maples at Ottawa, Canada. (Kep., 32.) 
It is common on Avhite oaks in Uhode Island and Maine late in August and through September, 
those observed at Providence spinning a thin cocoon between the leaves early in October and until 
October 20-28. October a I found some small larvjc (probably next to the last stage) with the 
stripes straw-yellow instead of orange. The moth appears in June in the northern States. 
Mr. Beutenm idler publishes the following notes on its transformations: ‘‘The eggs from which 
my observations Avere made Avere laid on June 10, and the young larA'm emerged on July 2. The 
first molt took [Jace on July 9, the second molt on July 17, the third molt on July 24, the fourth 
on July 30, and the last molt on August 4. Tlie larvie Avere fully grown on August 12.” He adds 
that it is single-brooded. His obserA\ations were made in New York, Avhile, as Avill be seen by 
Abbot’s statement, there are two broods of larA^a? in Georgia. 
Riley states that, according to W.W. Daniels, “When young the larva? feed iu a ])halaux, as 
it were, lying parallel on the leaf and as close togetlicr as tliey can.” His specimens occurred at 
Woodstock (Missouri), September 19, on the burr oak (t^>. maerocar^id)^ some lull-grown and others 
Just undergoing the third molt. “Entered the ground during the latter part of September and 
transformed to chrysalids, appearing as moths the following April.” (Fifth Rep. U. S. Eut. Comm., 
153). 
Food plants. — Various species of oak; observed at Brunswick, Me., on the beech. 
Geographical disirihution. — Common iu the Aiipalachian 
and Austroripariau siibprovinees. 
Ottawa, Canada (Fletcher) ; Orouo, Me. (Fernald) ; Bruns- 
Avick, Me. (Packard); Massachusetts (Harris, Fernald); New 
York (Lintner, Beiitenm idler) ; Plattsburg, N. Y. (Hudson) ; 
New Jersey (Packard Coll.); jMissouri (Riley); Manhattan, 
Kans., not rare (Popenoe); Ivacine, Wis., Chicago, 111. (West- 
cott); Chicago, 111. (Daniels); Ames, Iowa, “plentiful” (H. 
Osborn); St. Anthony’s Park, Minn. (Lugger); Georgia 
(Abbot and Smitli); Vermont, Wisconsin, New York, District 
of Columbia, Virginia, Texas, ^lissoiiri (U. S. Nat. Mas.); 
Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, New 
Jersey, Wisconsin, Texas (French); Seekonk, Mass., Taun- 
ton, Mass., Lawrence, ^lass., AndoA’er, Mass. (Mus. Comp. 
Zool.); New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Arkansas (Palm). 
While in Florida, iu April, I collected at Crescent City 
on the live or water oak a fully groAvii caterpillar Avhich I 
supposed to be Symmerista alhifrons. Bringing it to Providence iu a tin box, it spun a AA^ell-defiued, 
quite dense cocoon between the leav^es late iu April, but the moth did not emerge until SeiMeniber 
30. Although the summer was a Av^arm one, and the room iu which it was kept had a warm 
exposure, the moth was evidently retarded iu its appearance by a change to a cooler climate. Unfor- 
tunately,! did not make a description of the larva. It also occurs at Dallas, Tex. (Mas. Com]). Zook). 
This form is albi/rons A. and S., and (PI. IV, fig. 14) seems to represent a variety of this species. 
It differs from several specimens of S. alhicosta slightly but distinctly; it is smaller, and the white 
costal band is a little shorter and broader; inside of the discal spot it is not oblique, but straight, 
and the tooth hounding the outer., costal side of the discal spot is larger., rounderj and fuller, less 
conical than in aS'. alhicosta. Tlie submargiiial scallops are less cnrvotl, and the space iu front of 
the discal si>ot is filled in more densely with reddish brown. Expanse of wings, 35 mm. 
The pupa (fig. 71) difters iu the cremaster being consolidated, not forked, and the setm are 
well dev'cloped. Length, IS mm. In a ProA^ideiice pupa of alhicostff, however, the cremaster is 
partly consolidated, only forked at the end, and the six setm are well developed. 
Mr, Dyar Avultes; hav^e taken the form Sgmmerista alhicosta iu New York and Floi’ida, the 
typical aJhi/rons also in New York, but much more rare (Poughkeepsie). But Professor Lintner, 
at Albany, takes only alhifrons?^ 
w 
Fiq. 73.— Pupa of ronnfl-toothed forai {alhi- 
frons), from Florida; ly, little black, irregolar 
warts. 
