Packard.] 
532 
[Feb. 19, 
Experiments should also be made to ascertain whether the two larvae 
in question are distasteful or not to birds. 
The earliest stages of Dasylophia are very different from those 
of Edema, the latter apparently lacking the clavate hairs and the 
tubercles of the former genus. 
It may be here observed that although many insects, according 
to the recent views of Exner and Plateau, may not distinctly per- 
ceive the outlines of bodies, yet all insects doubtless see objects 
in motion. Hence an} 7 ichneumon or Tachina, or the carnivorous 
beetles or bugs, may be frightened away by the sight of a moving 
or nodding tubercle like those on many Notodontians, and still 
more by the movements of the filamental or even the slightly elon- 
gated legs of other forms, or by the upturned abdomens of Datana 
caterpillars. 
LIFE-HISTORY OF (EDEMASIA CONCINNA (ABBOT AND SMITH). 
As is well known the caterpillars of this species are common and 
conspicuous, feeding in clusters in a very exposed manner on ap- 
ple leaves. Harris (Treatise, 425) observed the eggs laid in clus- 
ters on the under side of a leaf and the habits of the larvae, which 
‘‘when first hatched eat only the substance of the under side of the 
leaf, leaving the skin of the upper side and all the veins untouched ; 
but as they grow larger and stronger, they devour whole leaves 
from the point to the stalk, and go from leaf to leaf down the twigs 
and branches.” When full-grown, Harris adds : “They rest close to- 
gether on the twigs, when not eating, and sometimes entirely cover 
the small twigs and ends of the branches.” We have observed 
this habit, which proves the almost entire immunity enjoyed by 
this caterpillar from the attacks of birds. 
Second stage . — Length 6 mm. Head reddish-amber, not dark 
coral-red as in the mature larva ; angularon the sides, with two thick, 
stout, rather large black tubercles on the vertex, bearing a hair ; 
there are also five or six piliferous warts on each side of the head. 
Body with large piliferous warts, those on the prothoracic and first 
abdominal segments much larger (about three times) than the oth- 
ers, those on the prothoracic a little slenderer than those on the 
first, abdominal segment ; those on the eighth segment broader at 
the base, and rather larger than those on the first abdominal seg- 
ment ; those on the mesothoracic slightly larger than those on the 
metathoracic ; those on the second abdominal very slightly larger 
