l895-] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 69 



In no other department of science is an exploration so urgently required, 

 so loudly called for, as in this. Scarcely a week passes but that one and 

 another within the circle of my acquaintance is coming to me with some 

 insect which he has detected preying upon some article of property — of 

 which insect he is anxious to know the name, habits and remedies. Within 

 the last forty-eight hours one has brought me a worm which is infesting 

 the roots of his squashes, melons and cucumbers, and has killed a large 

 number of these plants in his and his neighbors' gardens; another has 

 shown me some pea-pods containing a worm which is devouring the 

 young peas; a third has brought in some tomato plants wilted and de- 

 stroyed by a grub that has perforated the stalk; and a young lady has 

 submitted to my notice some caterpillars which she finds devouring her 

 roses. Such facts forcibly show how much, how very much, we need a 

 thorough investigation of the Entomology of our country. It is indeed 

 surprising that this branch of natural science, in an economical aspect 

 second to no other in its importance, should have remained to this day so 

 lamentably neglected. In that valuable series of volumes of Natural 

 History of the State of New York we are presented with a full descrip- 

 tion of every object in the animal, vegetable and mineral kingdom, that 

 exist without (= within (?) ) our borders, save only our insects. This 

 most important hiatus remains to be filled to complete that great work 

 and render it full and entire as it was designed to be. Each succeeding 

 year is showing how urgently we need the information which this part of 

 that work would furnish. Why should its completion be longer delayed ? 

 The pecuniary loss which we shall sustain the present year from this one 

 insect which is now devastating our orchards is probably greater than will 

 be the whole cost of a survey of the insects of the State. 



"***** This moth pertains to the genus Argyrolepia and the sub- 

 genus Lozopera of the distinguished British entomologist, Mr. Stephens. 

 And as this species does not appear to have been hitherto described I 

 propose to call it the Argyrolepia pomariana, the specific name being 

 derived from the Latin: pomarium, which, translated, will give us for the 

 common name of this insect, the Orchard Moth, or if we wish to be more 

 definite, the Orchard Argyrolepia^ 



****** Yours Truly, 



Asa Fitch. 



We are the army of the great God, and we lay ninety-and-nine eggs; 

 were the hundredth put forth, the world would be ours— such is the speech 

 the Arabs put into the mouth of the locust. And such is the feeling the 

 Arabs entertain of this insect, that they give it a remarkable pedigree, 

 and the following description of its person: It has the head of the horse, 

 the horns of the stag, the eye of the elephant, the neck of the ox, the 

 breast of the lion, the body of the scorpion, the hip of the camel, the 

 legs of the stork, the wings of the eagle, and the tail of the dragon.— 

 Coivaii's Curious Fads. 



