325 



through the correspondence of the Department, as published in their 

 reports, frequent allusions to its ravages can be found. Mr. F. W. 

 Mally {see Bull. 24, Div. Ent., U. S. Dept. Agr., p. 24) appears to have 

 been the first to notice its occurrence on cotton, but describes neither 

 the worm nor the moth. He says: ''This fleshy worm was observed 

 entering into nearly grown bolls and feeding on their contents. Its 

 ravages are exactly like those of a nearly grown boll- worm, and the two 

 can not be distinguished." This statement is scarcely correct, as in its 

 earlier stage it is totally dissimilar to the boll- worm, and in its final 

 larval stage there is only the most superficial resemblance. It is not as 

 a destroyer of the boll, however, that it is to be feared, but rather as a 

 cut-worm on young plants in early spring. In the latter capacity, 

 should climatic and other conditions favor its increase, it may yet 

 become a most destructive pest. I first met with it July 26, in the 

 young larval stage, feeding in tlie newly forming boll. It had not only 

 eaten irregular holes through the outer sheaths of the boll and the 

 petals of the flower, but had also gnawed sufticiently into the corolla 

 to destroy it. 



Mr. J. W. Brown recognized this cut-worm and stated that at this 

 season it was rare. They were quite numerous earlier in the season 

 and very destructive, attacking young cotton-plants as they appeared 

 above ground, acres being sometimes destroyed and having to be reset 

 to secure a good crop. 



It was successfully bred to the imago. In one case the larva 

 pupated August 4, the moth issuing on the 16th; in another the pupa 

 stage was reached August 6, the moth appearing on the 19th, thus giv- 

 ing twelve and thirteen days, respectively, as the duration for the 

 pupa state. 



One of the larvte, after the last molt, measured 1.25 inch in length. 

 It had a dirty white or yellowish white dorsal lateral line, with two sub- 

 triangular or semilunate velvety black spots on dorsal segments 2 to 

 11, a V-shaped mark on cervical shield, and a large black spot over the 

 fifth spiracle; there is a pale indistinct median dorsal line that becomes 

 entirely obliterated on segments 3 and 4, and distinct brownish stig- 

 nial lines; laterally, below the stigmata, are numerous granulated 

 white spots; thelabrum is broader than long and triangularly emargi- 

 nated; while the legs are green, immaculate, with black claws. 



The larv« of three or four sx)ecies of geometrid moths, termed 

 "measuring worm," were also taken on cotton, but were rare and did 

 but slight injury to the plant. 



ORDER DIPTERA. 



The species in the family Asilidai are predaceous on other insects, 



seizing them upon the wing and alighting and sucking their juices. 



Many of them are large and powerful and sting quite severely with 



their strong, piercing proboscis. The majority of the species appear 



12283~l!^o. 4 4 



