130 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



attacks tbe Indian corn. Tbe female moth deposits several egi^s in the 

 blossoms of tbe corn, and tbe caterpillars grow with the groM'th of the 

 ear. I do not know that this insect is abundant enough to cause serious 

 ravages in the fields; but they are, at any rate, rather disagreeable 

 when boiled with the green corn. 



2. IMIothis qi. — This as yet undescribed species attack tbe pods of 

 artecbauds. {Cynara.') 



3. Agrotis — Sevei'al species, so nearly allied to the European suffusa, 

 saucia, tritici, h'dia, and their North American congeners, that up to this 

 time it has been impossible for us to identify the species. 



All of these species are polyphagous, but attack, in preference, garden 

 vegetables. They bury themselves during the daytime in the ground, 

 near the roots of the plant, whose leaves they devour during the night. 

 In the year eighteen hundred and fift3'-six they did cofisiderable damage 

 in tbe potato fields in tbe southern part of the State. 



4. Mamestra adjuncta, (Borsd.) — I am not certain whether our Califor- 

 nian is a local variety of this Atlantic insect, or a distinct species. This 

 insect in former }-ears onlj- attacked garden vegetables, but last year it 

 augmented to such an extent in some parts of the State, that it attacked 

 almost every plant, from the cerealea to the grapevine. 



The above is the only species of kjn'doptera which, to our knowlege, 

 have as yet proved detrimental. 



The followiug is a catalogue of the suspicious ones : 



1. Pi/ralis farinalis, (L.) — Attacks all farinaceous substances, and also 

 grain after it has been stored for some time. The insect seems to have 

 been introduced from Europe, for as yet it is very rare. 



2. Ennomos, sp. polyphagous. 



3. Clisiocampa, sp. similar to C. Americana and C. Neiistria of Europe. 

 At pi'esent this insect chiefly attacks shade trees. It is to be suspected. 

 At the same time, we may point out a peculiar dusty secretion of tbe 

 caterjiillar, which produces a very disagreeable urticatiou on the human 

 skin, and may prove as deleterious as that of the European. 



4. C. teniuha humeralis. — This peculiar species feeds, it is true, only on 

 quercus agri/olia, but it strips these trees in some seasons so entirely of 

 all foliage, that in coming years it may do serious harm, by destroying 

 tbe whole growth of timber in localities where this s^^ecies is the only 

 treer 



5. Sphinx quinquemaculata. — At present not.verj^ plentiful. Feeds on 

 potatoes, tomatoes, capsicum, and other soJanaceous plants. 



6. Philampelus Achsemon — Feeds on tbe grapevine; at present rare. 



7. Spilosuma Acrsea — Common on all salt marshes. Gets occasionally 

 into gardens in sufficient numbers to do some harm. 



8. Papllio Rutidus and F. Eurymudon feed on fruit trees, and are in 

 some parts of the State constantly though slowly increasing. 



From the foregoing lists, it will be seen that the number of hpidoptera 

 in California injurious to vegetation is verj- small, and it is to be hoped 

 that tbe catalogue will never be much enlarged. 



H. H. BEHR, M. D. 



