APPENDIX I REPORTS OF OBSERVERS. 379 



when they were placed on the cotton. The black ants were also seen to kill these 

 larvae 011 several occasions, and once or twice, when the worms had not been inter- 

 fered with by me, I was able to note but one other enemy to this larvae, namely, 

 the boll- worm itself ; for on several occasions, on the plant and undisturbed, I saw 

 large boll-worms catch smaller ones, which they devoured hoof and hide, or some- 

 times only bruised with their mandibles so that' they could extract the juices from 

 their bodies, the refuse being dropped. In trying to breed this species, I found that 

 it would never do to place more than one larvae in a breeding jar, else the smaller 

 ones were certain to be eaten by the larger. 



As previously stated, these larvae vary greatly in color, but this variation has no 

 connection with the plant on which they feed, so far as I could see ; for green larvae 

 were found on all of their food-plants, and deep-pink larvae were found on the cotton- 

 plant and on the roasting-ears of corn. Originally, this color variation may have been 

 produced by its being protective to one individual to be pale green because it fed on 

 the pale-green parts of some plant ; while another, feeding on deep-green organs, 

 would be protected by being of a dark-green color ; and another, feeding on a rose- 

 colored organ and the silk of some ears of corn as well as certain shades of the later 

 stages of a cotton-flower, in which these larvae are not infrequently found, are well 

 represented would be protected by being of a rose-color. It is evident, however, that 

 such color variation to be protective must be associated with an instinct leading the 

 parent moths to lay such eggs as should produce light-green larvae on light-green 

 plant organs ; such as should produce dark-green larvae, on dark-green organs, and 

 such as should produce pink larvae, on pink organs. Or, if this were not the case, 

 larvae hatched on organs of different colors must have the power to become, them- 

 selves, colored like these organs. Such cases are known to occur, but this is not the 

 case with Jldiothia, as has been already stated ; though it is possible that at one time 

 these color variations may have been accompanied by suitable instincts in the moths, 

 these instincts having been lost at a later time. 



REMEDIES. 



Of the means of destroying the boll-worm or the moth, which is its perfect form, I 

 can say but little. Its natural enemies, whatever they may be, should be protected ; 

 and, like Aletia, this species may possibly be destroyed some day by some parasitic fun- 

 gus, which may be utilized for this purpose. The remarks made about the use of poi- 

 soned sweets and fires for destroying the moths of Aletia will apply equally well to the 

 imagines of this species. 



Since the earlier broods of larvae are found on the maize or Indian corn, first in the 

 stalk, later in the ears ; and since the tendency of the species to multiply in geometri- 

 cal progression makes it desirable to destroy the early broods if possible, I would sug- 

 gest hand-picking of these earlier broods as the best way known to me of dealing with 

 the pest. As was stated when speaking of the natural history of Heliotliis, if one of 

 these larvae has taken up its abode in a stalk of corn the fact can be detected by a 

 very superficial examination, owing to the holes found in the leaves. Let, then, each 

 plow-hand be instructed, when cultivating the corn, to stop whenever he finds such a 

 stalk, and catch and kill the worm, even though it should occasionally be necessary to 

 destroy the plant in doing this, for the hill may be replanted, and the larva thus 

 killed might, if suffered to live, become in a few generations the parent of hundreds 

 of boll-worms. Later, after the corn is "laid by" and has begun to fruit, boys may be 

 sent through the fields to kill the "tassel- worms," the presence of which may be detect- 

 ed by the excrement at the end of the ear or by the silk being eaten away. To catch 

 these, it will be necessary only to open the husk for a short distance back from the end 

 of the ear, and from the ease of discovering affected ears the expense will not be great. 

 It is objected to this, that ears so opened are exposed to the weather and the attacks 

 of birds. Though it must be admitted that this is true up to a certain point, the de- 

 struction of all ears so interfered with does not follow, and the great lessening of the 

 next crop of boll- worms will, I am certain, more than pay for what corn is sacrificed. 



After the species has taken up its abode in the young bolls of cotton, hand-picking 

 is the only remedy that I know of, and, being far more expensive than with the earlier 

 broods, this does not seem practicable. When the cotton is poisoned to destroy the 

 caterpillar, some of the young boll-worms, feeding on leaves or bracts, are poisoned, 

 and I have seen a few large ones destroyed in a similar manner; but from the fact 

 that they feed for the most part on the contents of the boll, making only a round hole 

 through its exterior, poison cannot be well used in dealing with them. 



Plow-hauds should be instructed to destroy every pupa plowed out of the ground, as 

 in this way many belonging to this species will be killed. 



In closing, I have to express my gratitude for the many aids and kind encourage- 

 ments which I received from George O. Baker, Col. N. H. R. Dawson and his man- 

 ager, Mr. J. P. Melton, Capt. R. M. Nelson, Capt. N. D. Cross, and many of the other 

 planters about Selma, Ala. 



