PALMER WORM THE MOTH DESCRIBED. 229 



fore part of the body being slightly raised from the surface on 

 which they are standing and the antennae turned backward and 

 pressed down upon the wings. 



The moth of the palmer worm (see plate 4, fig. 4) measures about 0.65 

 across its wings when they are expanded. It is of an ash-gray color. The 

 fore wings are sprinkled more or less with black atoms, and have on the apical 

 edge at the base of the fringe six or seven equidistant black dots. On the disk 

 are also four larger black or brown dots, two before and two behind the mid- 

 dle, the latter nearer together than the former. These dots are placed ob- 

 liquely with regard to each other, the anterior pair having the outer dot more 

 towards the base of the wing than the inner one, whilst the posterior pair has 

 the inner dot nearer the base than the outer one. Frequently there is a tawny 

 yellow streak or cloud between the anterior dots and the base, situated upon 

 the slight plait or groove formed by the midvein. Sometimes also a dusky 

 transverse band may be discovered on the posterior part of the wing, half way 

 between the posterior dots and the tip. The fringe on the inner tips of these 

 wings is dusky, with a pale tawny band occupying its basal half. The hind 

 wings above and beneath. are dusky with a glossy azure blue reflection, and 

 blackish veins, their long fringes being dusky. The under side of the body and 

 the legs are dull whitish with a silky lustre, the feet darker with a white ring 

 at each joint. The antennae are alternated with rings of black and white. 



The varieties of this moth are numerous, particularly in those years when 

 it is abundant. The more important of these are as follows : 



a. Ground color of the fore wings dull white instead of ash-gray. 



b. Ground color of the fore wings pale tawny yellow. 



c. The fore wings with a strong purplish-red reflection. 



d. Dots on the middle of the fore wings three only, the anterior one being 



effaced. Rare. It appears to have been a specimen of this variety 

 from which Dr. Harris's description of the species was taken. 



«. The four dots on the middle of the fore wings all wanting. 



f. The dots on the apex of the fore wings faint or wanting. 



Numbers of these worms are every year destroyed by a small 

 footless grub or maggot, which lives in the palmer worm until 

 it has attained its growth, when it perforates a hole through .the 

 side of the worm, and crawling out, spins a small white oval 

 cocoon for itself, commonly attaching this cocoon very slightly 

 to the surface of the leaf. The worm from which this parasite 

 has crawled remains upon the leaf beside it, its feet seemingly 

 paralyzed, so that it is unable to move from the spot. It turns 

 its head at times from one side to the other, but eats no more 

 and soon perishes. 



When these worms were present in 1853 some persons 

 attempted to save favorite trees from their ravages by repeatedly 

 jarring the trees and with a pole breaking off the threads by 



