94 
abundant abroad until about the 27th of that month. May lo the 
larva was noticed eating tomatoes in gardens in Southein Illinois, 
and June 1 it was feeding freely upon sweet potatoes in Cham¬ 
paign. 
A fuller description than has been hitherto published will be 
useful for the precise identification of the larva. 
DESCRIPTION OF LARVA. 
This cutworm may be most easily recognized by the sooty brown 
color finely mottled with gray, the back slightly darker than the 
sides, with a small yellow spot on the middle of each of several 
central segments, and a dark patch on the segment befoie the 
last. These median yellow spots are in an interrupted or contin¬ 
uous yellowish or grayish line, and in front of each is a sooty 
blotch, divided by the median line. 
An interrupted pale yellow subdorsal line, bordered abo\ e by an 
interrupted sooty line. A wavy, sooty-brown, crenate stigmatal 
line, narrowed at the middle of each segment by a lighter exten¬ 
sion from the space above, terminating in a. pale spot just behind 
the stigmata. A conspicuous yellow substigmatal . stripe, lepand 
above, "mottled with red along upper edge, shading below into 
colors of venter, which are greenish dusky mottled with yellowish 
gray. Surface smooth, opaque, with a few very short hairs; pilif¬ 
erous spots inconspicuous. Stigmata black, not prominent. Mead 
reddish" yellow, with rufous reticulations, a darker line curving 
over the ocelli. Triangular front bordered each side by a broad 
black line contiguous at middle, thence less distinct and black 
and curving outwardly to back of head. Cervical shield not dif- 
ferentiated. On segment 10 the sooty dorsal spots form an indis¬ 
tinct W, less distinctly traceable on the other segments. On segment 
11 they are fused into a transverse pentagonal spot, vhose postenor 
border is very distinct, the space behind, and on segment 12 lo the 
anal plate, being pale yellow with rufous reticulations, except tor 
a narrow blackish on segment 12. Anal plate with obscure 
dorsal and subdorsal lines. Prolegs shining brownish, dusky at 
base. 
» The Pink-backed Cutworm. / 
(Mamesira meclitaia, Or.) 
(Plate IV., fig. 4.) 
■T Occasionally, among the more abundant species pf the last two 
years, occurred a cutworm readily recognized by its usually ob¬ 
scure and dusky color, overlaid with a pinkish or orange tint upon 
the back, and Sometimes also upon the lower part of the_ sides. 
It was found from February 28 to May 22 in meadows ana grass! 
lands lately plowed. Specimens collected at the latter date had 
entered the earth July 11, and completed their transformation 
