AMERICAN EDITOR. 315 



thistle, whose thick leaves it nevertheless succeeds in 

 rolling up as a cover for its chrysalis. 



The Gamma Moth, noctua gamma, derives its name 

 from having on its primary wings, a figure stamped in 

 gold, precisely similar to that letter of the Greek alphabet. 

 In England it is very common. In some countries of Eu- 

 rope this moth in its caterpillar stage of existence, has 

 been a scourge to the vegetation. In 1735 these insects 

 increased so rapidly in France, that they excited serious 

 fears of famine by their ravages in the fields and gardens. 

 The roads were covered with them traveling from one 

 field to another. In the kitchen gardens, they left noth- 

 ing but the stalks of the plants. Mr. Reaumur calculated 

 that a single pair of these moths might produce in one 

 season eighty thousand caterpillars ! 



Mr. Gosse found the gamma moth in Canada : " I have 

 obtained several new species of noctua, among which is 

 the ilusia gamma so common in England." 



The Blue Argus, polyommatus argiolus. This pretty 

 little blue butterfly is found also in America ; it is men- 

 tioned by Mr. Gosse, who saw it in Canada, and is included 

 among the insects of Massachusetts also, and doubtless it 

 belongs to other parts of the United States. Its cater- 

 pillar feeds on the buckthorn and on the holly. 



The Goat Moth, cossus ligniperda. " The great goat 

 moth, while yet a caterpillar, occupies in solitary darkness 

 the trunk of willow, oak, or poplar. For three successive 

 summers it is employed in eating into the solid wooden 

 barrier which divides it from the sunny world for as 

 many winters it sleeps within one of the dark tunnels thus 

 excavated by its powerful jaws ; but after this extended 

 period of repletion and repose, it scarcely lives over the 

 same complement of weeks to exercise its broad, dusky 

 pinions in the summer moonlight." 



