38 



curling themselves up, remain torpid until the following spring. When spring returns, 

 they are quite ravenous, and their cutting propensities having fully developed, they ascend 

 to the surface and attack the first green succulent vegetation that comes in their way. 

 When full grown they descend deeper into the earth, and form for themselves oval 

 chambers, in which they change to chrysalids. In this state they remain from two to 

 four weeks, and finally come forth during June, July and August as moths, the chrysalis 

 skin, being in most cases so thin, that it is impossible to preserve it. These moths in 

 time lay eggs, and their progeny goes through the same cycle of changes." 



The worms vary in size and markings, but they are all smooth, naked, and greasy 

 looking, and are of some shade of green, grey, brown or black, with a polished, scaly 

 head, and a shield of the same colour on the top of the first and last segments ; while 

 most of them have several minute shiny spots on the other segments, each spot giving 

 rise to a minute stiff hair. They also have the habit of curling up when disturbed. 



The moths are of sombre colours, and fly generally at night, often entering lighted 

 rooms, even in large cities. The upper wings always have two more or less distinctly 

 marked spots, one round, the other kidney-shaped, and the lower wings are generally grey 

 or white, without spots. 



The history of American Cut-worms has engaged the attention of some of our best 

 entomologists: — Fitch, Harris and Riley, amongst others, have studied them closely; the 

 last mentioned, however, being the only one who has fully surmounted the natural diffi- 

 culties in the way of rearing the larvae, caused by their restless and peculiar habits. In 

 the Report already quoted, Mr. Riley has given the life history of ten species, all of which 

 are found in Canada, and as a knowledge of the habits of our species is of considerable 

 importance to our people, I shall briefly notice in detail those which are most numerous 

 and destructive. 



As to the injuries caused by these caterpillars, they are so well known that it is hardly 

 necessary to recapitulate them. It is chiefly during May and June that they are found 

 to be most destructive, at the time when the young corn and other plants are a few inches 

 high, and the stems of cabbages and other garden vegetables are young and succulent. 

 Even the flower garden suflfers from their attacks, and our balsams, pinks and other flowers, 

 are ruthlessly destroyed by them. And (what is of more interest to our fruit-growers) 

 some species (which are also found in Canada) have the habit in early spring, of ascending 

 fruit trees and destroying the young buds, both of the leaves and blossoms, thus disappoint- 

 ing the hopes of the fruit-grower, and sometimes killing the trees. 



Agrotis devastator. — Brace. 



The Devastating Dart Moth — Larva— The Glassy Cut-worm. — Riley. 



This is one of the most common of our Cut-worm moths, and is distributed over a 

 wide area, being not only found in Canada, but also* all over the ISTorthern and Western 

 United States. 



The eggs are doubtless laid in the autumn, as when the worms are found in 

 May, they are nearly full grown. Mr. Riley calls it the " Glassy Cut-worm," from its 

 translucent glassy green body, in contrast with a very distinct hard polished dark brown 

 shield on the first segment, and a bright venetian-red head. There are several small 

 spots on each segment of the body, and it is very sparsely studded with hairs. 



This Caterpillar, figure 2. after Riley, is the " Cabbage Cut- 

 worm" of Harris, and often does great injury in gardens. 

 Their depredations are carried on for four or five weeks 

 in May and June, and they appear as moths fi'om the latter 

 part of June until September. The larva feeds on wild 

 plants as well as cultivated, for Mr. Riley found the 

 specimen from which he reared the moth, "under a, wild 

 endive plant, on the leaves of which it had evidently been 



■Fig. 2. 



feeding." 



