220 LËPlDOPTÉROLOGIE COMPAREE 



» Mr. Jones's letter is a niost interesling contribution to the 

 knowledge of the history of this insect, and it is significant that 

 now that it has found a food plant furnishing abundant means 

 of reproduction it brecds in enormous numbers. 1 quote the letter 

 referred to in full : 



GEORGETOWN, DEMERARA, BRITISH GUIAXA 



Novembcr 28, 1904 ; 

 G. B. Bkackett, Esq. 



(( liEAR Sir : I am taking ihr libcrty of sending you a small box con- 

 taining the cggs, catcrpillars, chrysalis, and butterfly that has bccn doing 

 somc damage to jome of our cane fields. It is enterely nevv to us hère, 

 though some planters say the hâve seen it before, but the did not think 

 it did much damage. In the présent case it is doing a grcat deal of 

 damage, and a f ( \v childrcn with nets hâve raught upward of a thousand 

 of the butterflies in a week. At présent the attack is confined to one 

 estate, but, of course, it may spread. This is the third year it has been 

 noticed. In thc^ iwo first years compara ivcly slight damage was donc, 

 but at ])resent timc a great deal of damage has bccn don(\ The catcr- 

 pillars enter the cane both from the bottom, close to the root, and work 

 upward through four or five joints, or enter above and work downward, 

 forming a chrysalis at the bottom of the carre or in the ground at the 

 base of the carre. The caterpillars appear in October and Novembcr, 

 and, as this is our chief reapin season, many of them are destroycd by 

 the mill. Thcy hâve been found in fields of loose vcgetable soi! which 

 hâve been top-dressed with filter-press refuse. » 



« My object in writing to you is to ask you if you woukl ])ut this bcforc 

 the entomologist of your Department to sce if the butterfly is known, and 

 to ascertain its name, if it is. It also might be intcresting to those engaged 

 in studying the cultivation of sugar-cane and the diseasc from which it 

 suflFers. » 



« Hoping I am not giving you too much trouble and trespassing on 

 your kindness, ix-licvc me, yours faith fully. » 



B. HOWELL JOXE.S. 



« In a subséquent letter, under date of February 2, 1905, 

 Mr. B. Howell Jones gives a additional information that the 

 plague of thèse insect still continues on the Enmore estate and 

 many thousands of the moths are being caught weekly. He says 



