NOCTUIDS. 77 
the night and devour the fruit buds, greatly diminishing their pro- 
duction. 
Many experiments have been tried to destroy these pests, but 
perhaps the most effectual is to carefully remove the soil from about 
the infected young plants and kill the caterpillars as they lie curled 
up near the roots an inch or less below the surface of the ground. 
Small tin basins or cups placed in the ground near the plants in such 
a manner that their tops are on a level with the surface will be 
found to be excellent traps for these annoying marauders. The 
caterpillars in their nightly wanderings in search of food fall into the 
receptacles and one may wreak vengeance on them in the morning as 
they will be unable to climb up the smooth sides of the tin. Re- 
venge is indeed sweet when one has seen his finest flowers and vege- 
tables cut off in early youth by these destructive ** worms.” The 
perfect insects are mostly nocturnal in their habits, coming into our 
houses at night and secreting themselves behind picture frames or 
among clothing in our closets in the daytime. Some species are, 
however, day-flyers and may be seen during the sunny hours about 
the blossoms of the milkweed and golden-rod busily sipping their 
sweets. 
Most of these moths are very dull in color, though a few are 
marked with pleasing tints of brown, gray and buff. 
The following illustrations of a few typically marked species of 
Agrotis will give an idea of their general appearance. 
Agrotis tassellata. Agrotis ¢-nigram. Agrotis normaniana. 
Agrotis tassellata is a small moth. The color of its fore wings is 
dark gray with two light spots and two black spots on each. ‘The 
lower wings are light brownish-gray, darker at their edges. This 
moth expands one inch and a quarter. 
Agrotis c-nigram is a rather dark species, the fore wings being 
dark brown, gray and black, with a few lighter spots and markings, 
while the hind wings are light brown. — It is one of the larger species, 
expanding an inch and three-quarters. 
