300 Report oF THE ENTOMOLOGISTS OF THE 
has observed the caterpillars disperse toward evening after having 
remained together during the greater part of the day. When 
about to molt their usual places for congregating are upon the 
branches and trunks of the infested trees. The young caterpil- 
Jars are more often found upon the former and those that are near- 
ing fully growth upon the latter or on the large limbs of the larger 
trees. Piates X XIII is from a photograph of a group of caterpil- 
lars, most of which were not more than half grown, upon a limb of 
a young basswood tree. This photograph was taken at 11:30 a. M. 
In the sections of the State where the caterpillars were very 
abundant they were frequently found together, when preparing to 
molt, in such large numbers as to completely cover one side of 
the trunk of a full-grown sugar maple tree to the distance of three 
or four feet. Plate XXIV is from a photograph taken at 3:15 
rp. M., of a comparatively small group of caterpillars about two- 
thirds grown upon a small plum tree in an orchard near Geneva. 
Restlessness of the full-grown caterpilars.—After the last molt 
the caterpillars become very restless, wandering up and down the 
trunks, along fences, etc., until finally the cocoons are spun. It 
has been observed that they feed but little during this period. 
This was also indicated by the colonies kept in our breeding 
cages. After the last molt they ate but very little, wandering about 
for three or four days and finally spinning their cocoons in all 
parts of the cages. 
Number of molts and descriptions.— The number of molts is 
usually four. A fifth molt occurs soon after the cocoon is spun. 
The molting periods, with the exception of the first, which was 
not observed, of a large number of caterpillars confined in breed- 
ing cages last spring were as follows: The first molt was about 
May 8, the second May 16, the third May 31. About ten days 
later part of them molted a fourth time and within three days 
spun their cocoons. A small proportion of those that molted but 
three times spun cocoons. The remainder died. This lack of 
normal development was probably due to insufficient food as they 
were accidentally deprived of fresh food for nearly two days be- 
