248 INSECTS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



June following. Some of the first broods of these caterpillars ap- 

 pear to come to their growth early in summer, and are trans- 

 formed to moths by the end of July or the beginning of August, at 

 which time I have repeatedly taken them in the winged state ; but 

 the greater part pass through their last change in June. The 

 moth is familiarly known by the name of the white miller, and is 

 often seen about houses. Its scientific name is Arctia Virginica, 

 and, as it nearly resembles the insects commonly called ermine- 

 moths * in England, we may give to it the name of the Virginia 

 ermine-moth. It is white, with a black point on the middle of 

 the fore-wings, and two black dots on the hind-wings, one on the 

 middle and the other near the posterior angle, much more distinct 

 on the under than on the upper side ; there is a row of black dots 

 on the top of the back, another on each side, and between these a 

 longitudinal deep yellow stripe ; the hips and thighs of the fore- 

 legs are also ochre-yellow. It expands from one inch and a half 

 to two inches. Having been much troubled with the voracious 

 yellow bears in the little patch, (I cannot call it a garden,) where 

 a few beans, and other vegetables, together with some flowers, 

 were cultivated, I required my children to pick off the caterpillars 

 from day to day and crush them, and taught them not to spare 

 " the pretty white millers," which they frequently found on the 

 fences, or on the plants, laying their golden yellow eggs, telling 

 them that, with every female which they should kill, the eggs, 

 from which hundreds of yellow bears would have hatched, would 

 be destroyed. In some parts of France, and in Belgium, the 

 people are required by law to echeniller, or uncaterpillar, their 

 gardens and orchards, and are punished by fine if they neglect the 

 duty. Although we have not yet become so prudent and public 

 spirited as to enact similar regulations, we might find it for our 

 advantage to offer a bounty for the destruction of caterpillars ; and 

 though we should pay for them by the quart, as we do for berries, 

 we should be gainers in the end ; while the children, whose idle 

 hours were occupied in the picking of them, would find this a 

 profitable employment. 



The salt-marsh caterpillar, an insect by far too well known on 



* It is most like the rfrcliu Urtica, but is of a much purer white color. 



