TFIE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 187 



had destroyed large numbers of that destructive pest, the Forest Tent 

 Caterpillar, Clisiocampa sylvatica. After the disease had reached a certain 

 stage the larvae remained motionless, retaining their hold on fences and 

 the trunks of trees ; shortly, although in appearance they were quite 

 natural, when touched they were found to be dead, and their bodies were 

 so decayed as to burst with a very gentle handling. Subsequent obser- 

 vations convinced me that this was the result of a fungoid disease to which 

 caterpillars, as well as some perfect insects, are very subject. A similar 

 disease sometimes attacks the silk-worm and causes great devastation, and 

 the common house-fly is liable every autumn to die from the effects of a 

 fungus which multiplies with amazing rapidity within the fluids of the fly's 

 body, soon destroys life and forms a circle of luxuriant growth all around 

 its victim. Examples of this may be found on the windows of almost 

 every dwelling during the month of September. Some years ago a learned 

 European professor claimed that he had proved the identity of this fungus 

 with the common blue mould and also with that of yeast ; and in proof 

 used the fungus of the fly for the purpose of raising bread, and showed 

 that it was possible to brew beer with the common mould. The close 

 relationship, if not the actual identity, of these three was thus established. 

 Quite recently it has been proposed by Dr. Hagen, of Cambridge, Mass., 

 to use a diluted solution of yeast in water with an atomizer as a means 

 of destroying noxious caterpillars and other insects by introducing disease 

 among them, and it seems quite likely that the use of this remedy may to 

 some extent prove effectual. 



The Cabbage Butterfly, Pieris rapce, having pretty well colonized the 

 northern portions of America, is still traveling southward. During the 

 present season it has been reported as common in many localities in the 

 State of Alabama, and has nearly reached the Gulf of Mexico ; it seems 

 as capable of adapting itself to extremes of heat as of cold. The Forest 

 Tent Caterpillar, Clisiocampa sylvatica, which has been so very numerous 

 and destructive in our neighborhood for two years past, has almost disap- 

 peared. The Colorado Potato Beetle seems to have fairly established 

 itself in several places in Europe, and if it proves as prolific there as here 

 it will be rapidly disseminated. The Wheat Midge, Cecidomyia triiici, 

 has appeared in the neighborhood of Port Hope, Ont., but not to any 

 alarming extent. The Plum Curculio, Conotrachelus nenuphar, has been 

 common as usual, while reports have been received from several districts 

 of the increasing prevalence of the Codling Worm, Carpocapsa pomo7iella. 



