70 



gained a permanent foot-hold in onr territory by prodncing fertile 

 eggs on the yonng spring cotton. I do not yet hear of any positive 

 evidence that the moths snccessfnlly hibernate in the region lying 

 along the center of Alabama and Georgia ; and my original state- 

 ment yet stands. Althongli the migration theory of the moth 

 originated with myself from my own observations it has been shown 

 that in the idea of its introduction I am anticipated, as stated by 

 Prof. Kiley, by several writers whose communications were generally 

 unknown to entomologists until recently when they have come to 

 light under the efforts of the Department of AYashington. Up to 

 the reading of my paper Prof. Riley did not know of the conclu- 

 sions of these former advocates of the migrations of the cotton worm 

 nor many of the facts embodied in my pajier as is proved by his 

 second and sixth reports where he treated the moth as a United 

 States species and inveighed against the ignorance of the people of 

 the South as to its natural histoiy. 



I visited Washington after the reading of my paper to endeavor 

 to interest the Government in the enquiry since so successfully 

 prosecuted, but my efforts were unavailing at the time. I think that 

 there is still no direct evidence that the moth successfully hibernates 

 any where in the U. S., though the probabilities are that as we 

 ap})roach the Mexican frontier the chancts of its doing so are 

 increased. I am sorry that Prof. Eiley does not give me credit for 

 my observations on the disappearence of the moths and the appear- 

 ance of the first worms, which is the "strongest fact against hiber- 

 nation" and is fully set forth in my papers. It was this fact and 

 that the moth ap})eai'cd in flights before the appearance of eggs in 

 the plants which made me adopt the theory of introduction from 

 more Southern regions. In the absence of direct evidence of the 

 successful wintering of the moth, the possibility that it yet may do 

 so in certain localities is not denied by me, but all my experiments 

 show that the canebrake region of Alabama is not to be included. 

 Prof. Eilcy's report is to be commended for its fullness of detail 

 and the amount of information which it contains. I must protest 

 however against my paper, Avhich embodied the results of my private 

 studies over a naturally restrict portion of the field, for being in 

 details pitted against the detailed statements called forth by the 

 employment of many persons over wide regions and paid by the 

 Government. For instance, on page IC,. my statement as to the 

 appearance of the worm is called "•erroneous" and that the date of 

 the appearance accords with "the isochimal lines". But in my paper 

 I say in effect that the worm appears always to the southward first 

 and as to its appearance in June, I ^'as writing then particularly of 

 Marengo and Greene Counties where my residence was lengthened. 

 I regret that a disposition to make out every body wrong but him- 

 self prevents Prof, lliley from assuming that impartiality which he 

 should take up to add grace to his reputation as a scientist.] 



