30 
In 1900 two comparatively small outbreaks of this species were 
observed at Washington, D. C., and at Chatham, Mich., as previously 
reported. In 1901 to date of going to press injurious occurrences 
have been reported in Texas, Louisiana, and South Carolina. 
FOOD PLANTS. 
Grasses, as previously stated, are the preferred and evidently 
original food plants of the fall army worm, but when the caterpillars 
have bred in unusual numbers and have exhausted the grasses and are 
traveling in armies in search of new food they are less discriminating 
in taste, being able to subsist on nearly any kind of succulent vegeta- 
tion that may be encountered in their line of march, including even 
the leaves of trees. 
Cereals are next in order after grasses as larval food plants, corn 
being a prime favorite, while rice, wheat, rye, oats, millet, and Kafir 
or Guinea corn are often severely injured. Barley, for some reason, 
does not appear to have suffered much from attack. The ‘* worms” 
are especially fond of young and tender grasses and grains, and infes- 
tation is more frequently noticed on newly planted winter wheat and 
other cereals following grasses or cereals in rotation of planting. 
Crowfoot and crab grass are noted as favorite grasses in the South, 
and millets are much affected everywhere. Creeping bent was pre- 
ferred to any other plant on the Department of Agriculture grounds 
in 1899. 
It is apparent that the species has become, perhaps from periodical 
overmultiplication necessitating frequent migrations, somewhat of a 
general feeder even in nature. Among other field and forage crops 
injury has been noted to sugar cane, buckwheat, alfalfa, clover, cow- 
pea, chick-pea, velvet bean, sugar beets, cotton, tobacco, and teosinte 
(Euchena mexicana). Few instances are on record of the caterpillars 
subsisting to any extent upon weeds other than Graminez. Purslane 
is mentioned as a food plant by Riley (8th Mo. Rept., p. 48). 
Attack on cotton has frequently been noted, but according to obser- 
vation this is scarcely a favorite food. The insects merely attack 
cotton when grasses or cereal crops in the immediate vicinity have 
been consumed, seldom effecting much damage. Grasses growing 
between rows of cotton and other crops are often attacked, and the 
insect in such cases can be considered as rather beneficial than other- 
wise, provided its numbers are not such as to exhaust this food and 
drive it to attack useful plants. 
Pea vines among garden vegetables constitute a choice food, and we 
have records of injury to sweet potato, spinach, turnips, tomatoes, 
potatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, beans, and strawberries. 
Vineyards are also subject to attack, the larve having been noticed 
