422 



Wlienever one of them is found in a field, the plants attacked by it may be easily 

 distinguished by their leafless appearance in the midst of the otherwise (jreen 

 and flourishing vegetation, as it rarely quits a plant before it is completely de- 

 nuded. Often, however, those which have lost their leaves from the rust present 

 much the same blighted appearance ; but in this case the numerous yellow, 

 withered leaves, which are scattered on the ground, at once indicate the disease. 



The thorny spines with which these caterpillars are armed have a peculiarly 

 poisonous property, and are capable of inflicting painful and severe wounds, 

 similar to the sting of a wasp. It is therefore necessary, if the insects require 

 to be touched, to use a stick or branch when removing them from the plants on 

 which they feed. 



These caterpillars cannot be classed among those very injurious to cotton, as 

 they do not appear to be sufficiently numerous to effect much damage. Very 

 few complaints have been made about them by the planters either of Georgia 

 or South Carolina ; in the year 1855, the same caterpillar was found very 

 abundant in the cotton-fields near Tallahassee, but the damage done by thera 

 was trifling. 



Mr. Newman, of Philadelphia, Avho has paid much attention to the breeding 

 of caterpillars, states that this insect is found on the willow. Dr. Harris says 

 they are also found upon the balsam-poplar and elm in Massachusetts ; and, 

 according to Smith and Abbot, in their " Insects of Georgia," it is found on the 

 dogwood, sassafras, and Indian corn, which are devoured by them. I have also 

 found them on the oak and locust. 



The caterpillar is from two inches and a quarter to two inches and three- 

 quarters in length; but, as Dr. Harris has minutely described it, I will quote 

 bis own words : 



"The caterpillars are of a pea-green color, with a broad brown stripe, edged 

 below with white, on each side of the body, beginning on the fourth segment 

 and ending at the tail. They .are covered with spreading clusters of green 

 prickles, tipped with black, and of a uniform length. Each of these clusters 

 consists of about thirty prickles, branching from a common centre, and there 

 are six clusters on each of the rings, except the last two, on which there are 

 only five, and on the first four rings, on each of which there is an additional 

 cluster low down on each side. The feet are brown, and there is a triangular 

 brown spot on the under-side of each ring, beginning at the fourth." The 

 brown stripe mentioned by Dr. Harris is often of a reddish-brown, and in higl> 

 colored and healthy individuals I have seen it almost of a carmine red. 



The caterpillars are gregarious when young ; but when older they are 

 solitary. When fully grown, they form a brownish cocoon of a gummy sub- 

 stance among the leaves, resembling parchment. The perfect moth comes oak 

 the following spring. There are two broods of these insects in a season in the 

 ffouthern States ; and I have observed the caterpillars on cotton as late as 

 the month of September. 



The chrysalis is brown, and of a short, thick form, with a number of hooked 

 bristles on the tail. 



The following is Dr. Harris's description of the moths : " They sit with theii 

 wings closed and covering the body like a low roof, ihe front edge of the urt- 

 der-wings extending a little beyond that of the upper-wings and curving up- 

 wards. The sexes diflTer both in color and size : the male, which is the smallest, 

 is of a deep or Indian-yellow color; on its fore-wings there are two oblique, 

 wavy lines towards the hind margin, a zigzag line near the base, and several 

 spots so arranged on the middle as to form the letters A H, all of a purplish-red 

 color. The hind-wings are broadly bordered with purplish- red, next to the 

 body, and near the* hinder margin there is a narrow curved band of the same 

 color. Within this band there is a curved, black line, and on the middle of 

 the wing a large, round, blue spot, having a broad, black border and a central 



