102 REPORT UPON COTTON INSECTS. 



bark of pine trees ; many were also taken from ragweed on edge of a 

 cotton field. 



In addition to the efforts of the local observers, Mr. Schwarz, who has 

 had a wide and very successful experience as a field entomologist, made 

 an extended tour through the cotton belt, in order to ascertain what he 

 could respecting the winter quarters of this insect. 



Mr. Schwarz was no more successful in this particular than were his 

 colaborers. As he did not include the details of this trip in his report, 

 which is published in Appendix I of this work, the following account 

 of his journey will be of interest as bearing on the question of hiberna- 

 tion. 



Mr. Schwarz proceeded from Washington to Galveston, Tex., which 

 point he reached December 5. He made a short and unavailing search 

 with Judge Jones, and then proceeded to Columbia, Brazoria County. 

 From that point he writes : 



After two days digging in the cotton field, with the assistance of a negro, I have 

 satisfied myself that neither on the cotton plant nor in the ground is to be found a 

 single trace of the hibernation of Aletia argillacea, at least in this portion of the cot- 

 ton belt. It remains to look for the moth in the woods, which, with their countless 

 trunks and logs of live-oak (there are no pine trees here), afford plenty of shelter. I 

 began to look in these old trees and under bark, and by smoking in cracks of logs I 

 captured a few other 'Noctuidae, but no Aletia. I tried sugaring some trees last night, 

 but with no success. 



I also tried lanterns and caught a few Noctuidae, but no A. argillacea. I shall con- 

 tinue to look for it in the woods, but I have given up the hope of finding the chrysalis in 

 the ground, and in this last conclusion the farmers of the Brazos bottom agree with 

 me. 



Thence he proceeded to San Antonio and from there to Columbus, 

 Colorado County, which he reached December 25. Investigations here 

 resulted in the finding of four parasitized chrysalides. Hearne, Tex., was 

 his next point of destination ; and from there he returned to Galveston 

 and went by boat to New Orleans. From this place he writes as fol- 

 lows, giving his explanation of his want of success : 



After more than four weeks experience in the South I have come to the conclusion 

 that Aletia argillacea hibernates in the United States. The reasons which lead me to 

 believe this are, first, the gradual increase in the number from the very few specimens 

 in the first generation to the myriads of the last, generation. Second, that A. argillacea 

 has been observed much earlier in the season than is generally believed. One of the 

 best observers I met, Mr. G. Little, has seen the worms on the 10th of May. It seems 

 to me, therefore, an established fact that very few specimens of A. argillacea appear 

 very early in the season, and probably those only in the bottoin-lands. It appears to 

 me highly improbable that these few specimens should immigrate from the South, 

 year after year, or at least duriug the past ten years. 1 think if the moth is migratory 

 in its habits it would appear suddenly in considerable numbers. (I do not know 

 upon what grounds the theory of thrt " three generations " of the cotton- worm is founded, 

 but I cannot see how this insect which transforms in less than four weeks should pass 

 through only three generations if it appears as soon as the beginning of May). It is 

 certainly much more natural to assume that a few, perhaps only a very few specimens of 

 the moth, probably impregnated females, do hibernate. There is, of course, but little 

 chance to find one of these hibernating specimens owing to the multitude of hiding 



