352 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



following days, complaining only of a general soreness. After this 

 he was about as usual ; but a few weeks after, his hair fell off 

 entirely. 



Miss F. was bitten on her middle finger ; the usual severe symptoms 

 immediately followed ; but brandy, with the addition of a little ammo- 

 nia, was freely given, and continued in large doses until relief of 

 symptoms, but without the least appearance of intoxication, although 

 in health the individual could not, probably, have borne a single 

 ounce : the symptoms gradually disappeared, and on the third day 

 the patient was well generally, although the finger sloughed. 



These two cases, authentic in every particular, are quite valuable, 

 for aside from their physiological relations, it is of no small importance 

 to know that the sure fatality of such an accident can be fully pre- 

 vented by so simple a remedy. 



I have been desirous of performing some experiments with a view 

 to learn the relations of this poison to the state of aiiaethesia in animals. 

 I commenced these a few days ago, but the behavior of the snake 

 was far from being commendable or satisfactory, and I shall postpone 

 them for the present. 



ON THE COTTON WORM OF THE SOUTHERN STATES. 



The following communication on the cotton worm of the Southern 

 States, was recently presented to the Boston Society of Natural His- 

 tory, by Dr. W. I. Burnett : " This insect appears but little known in 

 science, although its injury to property is perhaps greater and more 

 deplorable than that of any other with which we are acquainted. 

 On the years of its appearance the entire cotton crop of certain dis- 

 tricts is often cut short ; and in not a few instances single plantations 

 have suffered to the amount of ten to fifteen thousand dollars. 



It is one of the |span worms or Geometridce, belonging to the same 

 family of insects as the canker worm, which is so much feared with 

 horticulturists at the North. Having only larvee at my disposal, I am 

 unable to give its generic relations ; but I hope at some future time, 

 having obtained a complete suite of these insects in all their condi- 

 tions, to give a zoological description, if required. 



" It is not indigenous to the Southern States, and there is no evi- 

 dence that it can live naturally north of the shores of Texas. Most 

 probably it is a native of Brazil, or some other equatorial climate in 

 that vicinity ; for it is so sensitive to the cold as to quickly die in an 

 atmosphere approaching the freezing point. Its appearance, then, on 

 the southern cotton fields is always one of migration, coming sudden- 

 ly like a foreign enemy, and always selecting the most thrifty planta- 

 tions. It is very remarkable, therefore, that it should appear regularly 

 at the intervals of every three years in the same districts, striking first 

 the seaboard and progressing gradually inland as circumstances may 

 favor. But equally remarkable in this connection is the fact, that its 

 most extensive and deplorable ravages occur always after intervals of 

 twehty-one years, or every seventh time of its advent ; as shown in 



