THE COTTON-WORM. 



CHAPTER I. 



CLASSIFICATION AND NOMENCLATURE. 



In glancing over the literature on the insect under consideration we 

 find that it is known by various popular titles. The " Chenille " is a 

 name which still holds in many parts of the South. It was originally 

 introduced by the French planters emigrating from Martinique and 

 other French West Indies to Georgia in 1801-1802, and also by the 

 French settlers of Louisiana. Although literally signifying nothing but 

 caterpillar, it has come to be applied to this insect distinctively, as the 

 caterpillar par excellence. The " Army- worm " is a title which has of^en 

 been applied to this insect, but is one which should be avoided on ac- 

 count of the danger of Confounding it with the Army -worm of the North. 



In order to avoid this danger many have called it the " cotton army- 

 worm." Mr. Glover has given his sanction to this name in the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture reports. It has also been called by many writers 

 " the cotton-caterpillar," a name sufficiently distinctive. By many it is 

 known by the simple term "the caterpillar" in contradistinction to "the 

 worm" as commonly applied to the boll- worm. By others, and these 

 are by far the majority, it is termed "the cotton- worm." This latter 

 name we shall adopt in this report as being the shortest and simplest 

 and best adapted for a popular name. The moth has generally been 

 called the "cotton-fly" or "cotton-moth" or " cotton- worm moth." 



And now, briefly, as to the scientific classification of the cotton- worm 

 moth. Primarily it belongs to the order " LEPIDOPTEEA " or scaly- 

 winged insects. All Lepidoptera are characterized by having four mem- 

 branous wings covered with imbricated scales (appearing to the naked 

 eye as the so-called " dust " of a butterfly's wing) and by having the 

 mouth parts formed for sucking, the maxillae forming a tube of greater 

 or less length. The order of Lepidoptera is divided into two sections 

 Rhopalocera (including all butterflies) and Heterocera (including all 

 moths.) The Heteroceres are subdivided into the following families : 



1. Sphingidae. Hawk-moths or humming-bird moths. 



2. ^geriadae. Clear- winged moths. 



3. Zygaenidae. A family to which no popular name has been given. 



4. Bombycidae. Spinners. 



5. Noctuidae. Owlet-moths. 



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