55 



but recently escaped from the chrysalis. On the evening of August 

 8th I captured five of these moths ; one of them was taken under a 

 woodshed, an open structure boarded up on three sides, and roofed 

 over — one on a clover blossom and the remaining ones were upon 

 the blossoms of the common Soapwort or Bouncing Bet {Saponaria 

 officinalis). Those on the flowers allowed me to examine them very 

 closely without attempting to fly away — in fact, they did not seem 

 to be at all aware of my presence. I also found several other 

 specimens flying about ; they flew low, with a rapid, darting motion, 

 and their flight was accompanied by a slight humming noise, some- 

 what resembling that produced by the Hawk Moths {Sphingida), 

 but not so intense. For several nights after this I saw several of 

 the moths each evening, after which none were to be seen. 



On the 18th of August I found on a blade of grass a young 

 Army Worm which agreed very well with the description of this 

 worm in its second stage, as given by Prof. Riley on page 184 of 

 his Eighth Report.* 



Four days later I found another worm (or the same worm farther 

 advanced) in the same locality as the above. It agreed very well 

 with the description of the third stage of the Army Worm as given 

 by Riley in the Report referred to above. Neither of these worms 

 were reared to the perfect state, but I have no doubt that they were 

 genuine Army Worms, and also that they were the progeny of the 

 moths which appeared in the fore part of the month. 



Toward the evening of August 26, I found on a blade of grass an 

 Army Worm which agreed precisely with the description which I 

 took of those found in the Hungarian field ; it measured about one- 

 half of an inch in length. On the 6th of September about thirty 

 larvae, or maggots, of the Military Microgaster [Microgaster militaris, 

 Walsh), and at once commenced to spin their elongate ellipsoidal 

 white cocoons. Prof. Riley in his Second Report,! page 52, and 

 again in his Eighth Report,! page 53, says that the cocoons of this 

 insect are enveloped in a mass of flossy silk, but the above cocoons 

 were not enveloped in such a manner, but were spun side by side, 

 and rested upon their ends. 



The winged parasites issued from these cocoons ten days later. 



About the first week in September I found two Army Worms 

 beneath some boards that lay upon the ground. At about one 

 o'clock in the afternoon of September 28th I found a nearly fall 

 grown Army Worm on a green head of timothy ; the day was quite 

 cool and cloudy. On the same day I fovmd three other Army 

 Worms beneath some boards : one of these had a Tachina egg at- 

 tached to its body. 



Of those found early in September, one assumed the chrysalis 

 form on the 22d of September, and the other pupated a few days 

 later. These were both placed in a glass jar and set away in the 

 attic. I examined the jar, for the first time after setting it away, 

 on the 15th of October, and found in it one living Army Worm 

 Moth. Of the Army Worms found on the 23d of September two 

 died shortly after they were captured, and the third pupated about 



*Eighth Annual Report, etc. 

 + Second Annual Report etc. 

 I Eigth Annual Report etc. 



