REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 525 



and thrown near plants, instead of being "burned at once or otherwise 

 destroyed. 



In other cases the injury is due to the peculiar position of the plant 

 injured, i. e. under a tree infested by the caterpillars. These, when 

 fully grown, commence to scatter, and dropping upon the plant un- 

 derneath the tree, soon defoliated it without actually making their 

 home upon it. The great number thus dropping from a large tree 

 will soon defoliate any smaller plant, even if each caterpillar takes 

 but a mouthful by way of trial. Thus Holly, a plant not usually 

 eaten by these insects, soon became denuded. Other plants, unpala- 

 table or even obnoxious to the caterpillars, are sometimes destroyed 

 by the multitudes in their search for more suitable food. 



Hungry caterpillars, leaving a denuded tree in search of food, 

 wander in a straight line to the next tree, sometimes a distance of 25 

 feet, showing that they possess some keen sense to guide them. If such 

 a tree offers unsuitable food, they still explore it for a long time before 

 deserting it. In this manner two columns of wandering caterpillars 

 are formed, which frequently move in opposite directions. 



PECULIAR EFFECT OF DEFOLIATION UPON SOME PLANTS. 



During the early part of October many trees, mainly Apple and 

 Pear, which had been entirely denuded of their foliage by the cater- 

 pillars, showed renewed activity of growth. Some had a few scat- 

 tered flowers upon them, others had one or two branches clothed with 

 flowers, while in some few cases the whole tree appeared white. It 

 looked as if the trees were covered with snow, since they lacked the 

 green foliage usually seen with blossoms in spring. Some few flowers 

 were also observed upon badly defoliated Cherry trees. Even as late 

 as the middle of November, owing perhaps also to the pleasantly warm 

 weather, some few flowers could be observed upon some imported 

 plants belonging to the genus Spircea and upon the Chinese Red Apple. 

 All these jplants usually flower early in spring. The caterpillar, 

 having entirely defoliated the tree, produced thus an artificial period 

 of rest, or winter, which was followed by unseasonable budding and 

 flowering. Such a result often follows summer denudation by any 

 insect, and we have referred to some remarkable cases in our previous 

 writings. * 



ENEMIES OF THE WEB-WORM OTHER THAN INSECTS. 



The caterpillars have comparatively few enemies belonging to the 

 vertebrate animals. This is not owing to any offensive odor or to 

 any other means of defense, but it is entirely due to their hairiness. 

 Chickens, and even the omnivorous ducks, do not eat them; if offered 

 to the former they pick at these morsels, but do not swallow them. 



The English Sparrow has, in this case at least, not proven of any 

 assistance whatever. Indeed, as before stated, its introduction and 

 multiplication have greatly favored the increase of the worms. 



The '_' pellets" of a Screech-owl {Sco2)s asio), found in the vicinity 

 of Baltimore, Md., and examined by Mr. Lugger, consisted appar- 

 ently almost entirely of the hairs of these caterpillars, proving that 

 this useful bird had done good service. 



Perhaps the statement may be of interest, that this little owl is 



*See Eighth Report on the Insects of Missouri, p. 131. 



