Pies Dr. Wallace on 
shave fallen on the ground back again to the trees, as their lower 
leaves are in close proximity to the ground and their upper leaves 
approach the foliage of the parent tree. 
It has been asserted that the food of the earthworm consists 
entirely of earth. Iam fully convinced that the earthworm is a 
great enemy to the young larve which fall: it is, however, very 
difficult to cateh a worm in the act of destruction. On moist 
nights I have gone out to visit my Ailanthery with my lamp 
(which is possessed of great reflecting power), in order to observe 
whether any enemies were busy, and I have frequently noticed 
young larve lying on one side on the ground, and a worm hastily 
withdrawing into its hole. On examination the larva has been found 
pierced and partially sucked, This has so often been observed 
that I have no doubt that the earthworm is a great enemy to the 
fallen larvae. And I was, therefore, always careful the last thing 
before dark to pick up and replace on the tree all fallen larve. 
On still days very few larvee fall, but on windy days, from 
trees which are fully exposed, many worms are dislodged by 
the friction of the leaves against each other: hence it is very 
desirable to afford an artificial shelter from violent winds, as by 
planting Jerusalem artichokes, &c, 
The times of feeding of the larvee vary much with the tem- 
perature ; I have observed them to feed at all hours of the day 
and night. With a high temperature, especially in sunshine, they 
are actively engaged moving about and feeding, but become torpid 
when the temperature falls below 55° F. ‘They always keep on 
the under surface of the leaf, and do not leave one leaf till they 
have consumed it; they generally, when moving, ascend from a 
lower to a higher leaf, except when nearly full grown, when there 
is a great tendency exhibited to seek the lower leaves and spin 
up inside these.. As far as I could observe they are partial to 
moisture, and have seemed, when very young and shrunken for 
want of succulent foliage, to be benefited by being sprinkled with 
water ; so, too, on dewy nights and early in the morning they feed 
with great avidity on the moist leaves. 
The most interesting period, in which all the hopes of the crop 
culminate, is the spinning time. When full fed, that is, about nine 
days after the last moult—during which time an enormous appetite 
has devastated the foliage and rendered it necessary, in al] proba- 
bility, toremove some of the larve to fresh trees—the tubes con- 
taining the silken gum have been filled, and a great increase of 
size has been obtained; the larva now ceases to eat, remains 
motionless for forty-eight hours, during which it empties its 
