54 



The pupa is of a very dark-brown color, smooth and polished, and faintly punctuate. It 

 is characterized by a swelling or bulging about the middle. It is 0.60 of an inch long and 

 0.23 of an inch broad in the middle of its body. 



The Moth. — The moths vary greatly, both in size and coloration. They have, in conse- 

 quence of such variations received many names, such as cunea (Drury), textor (Harr.), 

 ^punctata (Fitch), punctatissima (Smith). But there is no doubt, as proven from frequent 

 breeding of specimens, that all these names apply to the very same insect, or at most to 

 slight varieties, and that Drury's name cunea, having priority, must be used for the species. 



The niost frequent form observed in the vicinity of Washington is white, with a very 

 slight fulvous shade. It has immaculate wings, tawny-yellow front thighs, and blackish 

 feet. In some specimens the tawny thighs have a large black spot, while the shanks on 

 the upper surface are rufous. In many all the thighs are tawny yellow, while in others 

 they have scarcely any color. Some specimens (often reared from the same lot of larvre) 

 have two tolerably distinct spots on each front wing, one at base of fork on the costal 

 nerve and one just within the second furcation of the median nerve. Other specimens, 

 again, have their wings spotted al) over and approach the form punctatissima, described as 

 the many-spotted ermine-moth of the Southern States. The wings of the moth expand 

 from one inch and a quarter to one inch and three eighths. The male moth, which is usu- 

 ally a little smaller, has its antenna; doubly feathered beneath, while those of the female 

 possess instead two rows of minute teeth. 



The pupa state lasts from six to eight days for the summer brood, while the hibernating 

 brood, however, requires as many months, according to the latitude. 



I have given considerable space to the description of this insect as, judg- 

 ing from its increase in Santa (^riiz, it may perhaps prove as great a nui- 

 sance as it has been in many portions of the East, where it two years ago 

 especially defoliated nearly all the shade trees in Washington City. 



Remedies. 



The remedies recommended in the Eastern States might be used with 

 advantage here: 



Burning the nests as soon as they appear, with torches of rags soaked in kerosene. 



A special and very handy kind of torch is recommended for the purpose, and is known 

 as the brick torch. 



Take a piece of soft brick, trim it to egg shape; then take two soft wires, cross them 

 on the brick, wrapping them together round the opposite side so as to firmly secure it: 

 now tie this end to a long stick by wrapping around it; then soak the brick in coal oil, 

 light it with a match, and it is ready. 



Arsenical Poisons. 

 Both Paris green and London purple are recommended, mixed with flour. When used 

 early during the first appearance of the worms, it can be used stronger. I should not rec- 

 ommend to use it more than one pound to one hundred and eighty gallons of water, and 

 London y^urple one pound to two hundred gallons. 



TUSSOCK MOTH. (Figure No. 42.) 

 Orygia Leucostigma. Order, Lepidoptera ; Family, Bomhycidse. 



Figure No. 42. 



The engraving gives a fair idea of the larva or caterpillar of the tussock 

 moth, which is often found in orchards bordering on woods, especially in 

 Santa Cruz and Sonoma Counties. The ground color of the larva is light 

 yellow, sparingly clothed with fine yellow hairs on the sides of the body, 

 and having four short and thick brush-like j^ellow tufts on the back, that 

 is, on the fourth and three following rings; two long black plumes or pen- 

 cils extending forward from the first ring, and a single plume on the 

 eleventh ring. The head and the two little retractile warts on the ninth 

 and tenth rings are coral red; there is a narrow black or brownish stripe 



