524 
Annual Report of .Yew York 
side of the hind part of the body, these spots being such a peculiar 
mark and showing so conspicuously upon the dark ground color of 
the body that the eye notices them much more than any other 
character pertaining to these vorms. Some spots and lines of a 
whitish color are seen here and there, and the surface is also observed 
to be uneven, from little conical humps which project out at different 
points, four of these in a row on each side of the back being the most 
conspicuous. It will also be noticed that they vary in color, some 
being less dark than others. Even the same specimen frequently 
varies in a short time in its hue and in the distinctness of its whitish 
markings. 
A more full description of these worms here follows: 
The larva grows to nearly an inch and a quarter in length, and is slender and 
nearly cylindrical, with short bristles scattered over its surface. It varies in color 
from umber brown to dark sooty brown, with ash gray and cream yellow markings. 
In the middle of its body on each side of the back are four obtuse, conical humps, 
placed on the fourth and three following rings, the two middle ones being larger. 
These dorsal humps project horizontally outward, rendering the back flattish and 
imparting to it a serrated appearance along each side. Beneath upon each side are 
humps which are more obtuse, resembling retracted prolegs, each of these ventral 
humps frequently having a sooty black cloud upon its anterior side. Upon the last 
segment are two conical tubercles, then- tips often black and yielding a short bristle. 
Upon the outer base of these tubercles is a small oval spot or short streak of a cream 
yellow color; and posteriorly along each side of the back is a row of small, cream 
yellow dots, one on each segment, the last dot being quite near the hind end of the 
small oval spot. On the back of the fourth and following rings are similar dots 
placed near each other, upon the anterior bases of the dorsal humps. And along the 
middle of the back is a row of ash gray marks having the form of an inverted letter 
V, their hind ends terminating at the cream-colored dots; the two anterior of these 
marks, occupying the top of the fifth and sixth rings, being more expanded, irregular 
and cloud-like. Each of the four prolegs has an ash gray or pale reddish stripe upon 
its outer face. The stripe upon the anterior pair of prolcgs is prolonged obliquely 
upward and forward, into an irregular triangular spot of a bright cream yellow color. 
And upon the two segments next forward of this are similar spots, but successively 
smaller, the anterior one being usually a mere cluster of small spots and dots irregu¬ 
larly connected together. Beneath, along the middle is an ash gray line, faintly 
margined on each side with darker sooty brown, this line not being prolonged upon 
the breast nor reaching the tip. On each side of the neck immediately below the 
breathing pores is a slender, irregular whitish line. The head has the same color 
with the body and is frequently mottled more or less with ash gray. 
After the young worms have changed their skins and taken on 
the markings above described, they become much altered in their 
habits. They now cat the whole of the leaf instead of nibbling small 
holes through it. And one of the first things we observe respecting 
its feeding, is, that whilst it is a common habit of the leaf-eating 
caterpillars and other larvae to take only the more tender parts of the 
