NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 69 



three hours without cessation, after which arose small red pimples, 

 changing on the second day to white vesicles, which, after discharging 

 a watery fluid, left an appearance as of eczema. I determined to put 

 the matter to a further test, and, a week or two after, subjected my 

 arm to a similar dose, with precisely similar results. Eucalyptus oil 

 afforded relief from the smartuig of the discharging vesicles, but 

 nothing that I could find would allay the first irritation, common 

 washing soda affording the nearest approach to relief. During the 

 season I tried the effects of various otlier Bombyces, with the follow- 

 ing results : two applications, each having similar results, were tried 

 in each case, except Macrothi/lacia ruH. Arctia caia : No subsequent 

 complication after first irritation, which lasted about half an hour and 

 was almost immediately susceptible to common soda. A. vlllica : 

 Similar to A. caia, but the hairs on the larvae lacked the irritative 

 properties possessed by the commoner species. Lasiocampa [Bomhyx) 

 qiierciis : Primary irritation very pronounced, but not so lasting as in 

 the case of P. aunjiua ; the pimples changed to vesicles towards the 

 end of the day, and by morning were dry scabs, the irritation and 

 smarting being slight compared with that produced by the "gold tail." 

 Malacosoma [Bomhy.v) neustria : The red inflamed patch gave much 

 trouble, and the irritation was great, but no pimples resulted; common 

 soda quickly reduced the itching. Macrothi/lacia (Bombyx) rubi: I de- 

 cided after the first experiment not to continue operations with this 

 species. Some of the fabric got into my eyes, and for three days I 

 endured much discomfort ; the eyes watered and became inflamed, and 

 much difficulty was experienced in opening the lids in the morning ; 

 some of the vesicles on the arm assumed the appearance of pustules, 

 and it was quite a week before I got rid of the effects ; the primary 

 itching was excessive and continued for ten or twelve hours, the ap- 

 plication of various "palliatives" being useless; common soda relieved 

 temporarily. CalUmorphia dominula : I sacrificed most of my pupa3 

 expermienting with these species, but beyond a slight irritation from 

 the hairs of one partially changed larva, no material effects were 

 experienced. Gastropacha (^Laaiucanipa) qiiercifolia, Satarnia carpini, 

 and Oryyia antiqua gave no special results, but Dasychira pudibunda 

 produced red patches and vesicles as in the case of P. auiiji.ua, the 

 vesicles, which were similar in appearance to those produced by 

 the disease known as chicken-pox only much smaller, discharged 

 on the second day and left an irritating smarting which eucalyptus 

 oil only partially allayed ; the primary itching, however, was not 

 susceptible to either soda, potass, or borax. I was not able to procure 

 cocoons of P. chrysorrhcea, but have not any doubt that the effects 

 would have been shnilar to those produced by P. aurijiua. The last- 

 named, therefore, with M. rubi and D. pudibunda, prove to be possessed 

 of the most irritating properties both as to larval coat and cocoon 

 fabric. It may be that my cuticle is more susceptible than that of 

 others, but I would like to know if any of these experiences agree 

 with the effect produced by the same means upon others of your 

 readers. I may mention that in most cases a piece of common 

 washing soda, wetted and rubbed upon the surface of the irritated 

 part until the deposit dried, was usually the most effective palliative, 

 while eucalyptus oil was generally successful in easing the smarting 



