THE LADY BIEDS VS. THE COTTON-WOEM. 177 



the same color, but without any spots upon the wing-covers. Its thorax 

 is black, with two small light spots. Hippodamia convergens (Fig. 29) re- 

 sembles the preceding in general ground color. It 

 is larger and more elongated. On the 

 wing-covers are thirteen small black 

 * spots. The thorax is black, with a 

 ijght yellow margin and two lines of the 

 FIG. 28. C. same color approaching a Y in shape. FIG. 29. H. conver- 



munda. Hippodamia maculata (Fig. 30) is gei18 ' 



pink in color, with ten large black spots on the wing-covers, of which 

 two are upon the middle line. The thorax is pink, with two large black 

 spots, and the head is pink, with black eyes. It is smaller 

 than the last-named species. Coccinella venusta (Fig 31) is 

 larger and broader. It is pink in color, with ten 

 large black spots upon the wing-covers, of which 

 the hind two blend into each other across the 

 middle line. The inner middle spots are shaped 

 FIG 30. H. like inverted commas. The thorax is pink, with 

 four black spots, of which the two hinder ones 

 meet across the middle line to form a Y. Chilocorus livulnerus, Muls. 

 (the twice-stabbed lady-bird), is hemispherical in form and shiny black 

 in color. A little in front of the middle of each wing-cover is an irregu- 

 lar bright red spot. The thorax is black, with a whitish border, and 

 the head is whitish, with black eyes. 



That these lady-birds destroy many eggs and newly-hatched worms 

 of the cotton-moth there can be no doubt. Mr. Trelease reports : 



I have seen but one insect destroying the eggs of the Aleiia, viz, the larva of one of 

 the lady-birds (Hippodamia convergens). This was on the 26th of August. The larva 

 was searching the lower surface of a leaf, apparently for Aphides, when it encountered 

 an Aletia egg, which it immediately bit with its mandibles ; but, as if disliking its taste, 

 it left the egg uneaten and passed on. Later, I saw this same larva bite another egg, 

 and this, too, was left without further disturbance, but of course both eggs were killed. 

 Though many hours were spent in looking for further attacks upon the eggs of Aletia, 

 the difficulties necessarily attendant upon such observations prevented me from seeing 

 any more. From the actions and known proclivities of the lady-birds known as Hip- 

 podamia converf/ens, H. maculala, Coccinella munda, and C. 9-notata, all of which are 

 found in abundance on cotton plants, and of Chilocorus bivulnerus, one adult of which 

 was seen searching the leaves of cotton, I suspect that they all destroy thetee eggs 

 more or less commonly. 



In Dr. Phares's report an unknown enemy of the cotton- worm was 

 spoken of. Concerning this insect, in a later letter, Dr. Phares says: 



In my report upon the cotton-infesting insects made last autumn, in that portion in 

 which mention is made of insect enemies of the Aletia, one is referred to and obscurely 

 figured on paper. I find that my son had drawn it separately and distinctly, and it 

 proved to be a Coccinella or Hippodamia. We are both of the opinion that it is the larva 

 of Coccinella novemnotata, so abundant on the cotton plant. 



In his report, Dr. Phares speaks of these larvae as feeding upon the 

 chrysalides of Aletia. This might seem at variance with the well-known 

 12 C i 



