REPORT OF STATE ENTOMOLOGIST, 1898 193 
but it is believed that in every case the evidence justified the identifica- 
tion. In all the localities mentioned above, a number of trees were 
defoliated, usually oaks and maples, and in most of these the injured 
tracts could be estimated by acres, in some cases by hundreds of acres. 
There is certainly ample evidence to justify the conclusion that the forest 
tent caterpillar has caused a large amount of damage in New York state 
last year and this, and that the present season the ravages have been 
more general than in 1897, though in the former year they may have 
been more severe in certain localities. 
Extensive depredations in other localities. This insect has 
been extremely injurious in a number of other states, in some instances 
defoliating hundreds of square miles. One of the earliest accounts is the 
record of Abbot, whom Dr Riley quotes, stating that it ‘is sometimes so 
plentiful in Virginia as to strip the oak-trees bare.’ In his 3d report (see 
citation), Dr Riley credits this species with completely stripping the 
‘over-cup timber’ on the overflow bottoms near Des Arc, Ark., and 
records extensive injuries by it in many parts of Missoun. In the 8th 
Report on the insects of Missouri, it is stated that this species stripped oak 
forests over hundreds of square miles in the southern states, and that in 
the vicinity of Memphis, in 1862, the larvae were so abundant as to 
frequently stop trains going in and out of the city. In 1889 another 
instance of trains being stopped was brought to the notice of the Divi- 
sion of entomology, U.S. Department of agriculture (/wsect fife. 1889. 
2:58). This time the trouble was in Maine and was accompanied by 
serious injury to forests and orchards. Two years later trains were 
stopped on the Carolina central railroad near Lumberton (/isect “ie. 
1891. 3:477). This hindrance to travel was accompanied by the defolia- 
tion of many trees over a large area. ‘This species was excessively 
injurious in the vicinity of London, Ont., in 1877, as recorded by 
William Saunders in the followimg words: ‘There were millions upon 
millions of them, and so enormous were their numbers and so persistent 
their attacks, that after fighting them bravely for a week or two, many 
gave up the contest in despair, weary of the slaughter. Many an orchard 
was rendered bare and leafless and in some instances the woods were so 
void of foliage as to remind one of winter.’ In southern Illinois this 
insect ‘made a frightful inroad upon the apple orchard, absolutely defolia- 
ting every tree in large districts in 1883 ’ (Forbes, see citation). 
Last year the caterpillars committed very extensive ravages along the 
Ottawa river, stripping the aspen groves of every leaf and seriously 
injuring other trees (Otéawa naturalist, 1898. 12:13). 
