186 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



when the hce became scattered over the opening fohage and caused no 

 further apprehension. 



Later on, the tufted caterpillar of the white-marked tussock moth, 

 Orgyia /eucostigma, appeared in force, having hatched in multitudes from 

 the numerous masses of eggs attached to the twigs and limbs of various 

 trees. These eggs are usually partly sheltered by a dead leaf, or leaves 

 firmly adherent. The mass contains from 300 to 500 white eggs, imbedded 

 in a frothy, gelatinous substance ,; is of a grayish white color, with a nearly 

 smooth convex surface, while there is usually attached to the mass the 

 empty grey cocoon, from which the parent moth escaped. The eggs 

 hatch about the middle of May, when the young larvae at once begin to 

 devour the leaves of the tree on which they are placed, rapidly increase in 

 size, and when full grown present a handsome appearance. Their bodies 

 are more than an inch long, of a bright yellow color, with a red head, three 

 or four cream-colored tufts set in a black stripe along the back, two long 

 black spreading plumes, extending forward on the anterior part of the 

 body, and one at the opposite extremity. By gathering the clusters of 

 eggs during the winter when they are easily seen, the depredations of this 

 insect may be prevented ; but should this simple measure from any cause 

 be omitted, the larvas may be destroyed on the trees by syringing the foli- 

 age on which they are feeding with Paris green and water, in the propor- 

 tion of a teaspoonful of the poison to a pailful of water. This caterpillar 

 is a very general feeder, and occurred this year on almost every species 

 of deciduous tree, especially on street trees, and in lawns and parks, as 

 well as in orchards. 



The clover seed midge, to which the attention of the farmers of this 

 Province was first called in the annual report of our Society for 1881, con- 

 tinues to extend its sphere of operations, and many complaints are being 

 made of the failure of the crop of clover seed from this cause. The per- 

 fect insect is a two-winged fly, about the size and having much of the 

 general appearance of the wheat midge. By the aid of a long ovipositor 

 the insect pushes her minute eggs down the flower tubes in the young 

 clover heads, and when hatched the tiny red larvae devour the seed. In 

 districts where this insect has fairly established itself, there seems to be 

 but one method of subduing it, and that is to starve it out by ceasing to 

 grow clover for a year or two. A large proportion of the larvae may be 

 destroyed by cutting the clover earlier than usual, just as it is coming into 

 bloom, when, being only partially developed, most of them would perish. 



