ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 



261 



we have estimated that tlic number of distinct 

 species of insects to be found within tlic limits 

 of the United States amounts to at least thirty 

 tliousand ; and from what lias been said above, 

 as to the labor and expense of describing and 

 figuring lialf a million of species, we may easily, 

 by tlic simple Rule of Tln-ee, form a pretty cor- 

 rect idea of how much labor and money it would 

 reqiurc to describe and figure even as small a 

 number as tliirty thousand. 



Perliaps, in thus bringing to the test of hard dry 

 facts and ligurcs the rose-colored dreams of one 

 whom we have learned to esteem as a conscientious 

 fellow-laborer, we shall be accused of being a kind 

 of entomological Mr. Gradgrind. Perhaps it will 

 1)0 said that, by throwing cold water on tlic 

 brilliant aspirations of many an ardent young 

 naturalist, we are in eflect injuring tlie ver) 

 cause wliich we profess to serve, and that wc 

 arc a matter-of-fact cynical calculator, wholly 

 devoted to the dull unpoetical Real, and careless 

 of the beautiful etherial Ideal. Well, " wc are 

 not careful overmuch about such things;" but 

 in tlius considering the improbability of any such 

 result ever being attained, as that wliicli iSIr. 

 Lintnor dreamed of, wc nevertheless admire tlic 

 spirit wliich gave birth to the thought, and only 

 \\isli that more of our entomologists were im- 

 liucd with the same. It is good sometimes to 

 seek after the Unattainable, and though we may 

 not always reach the goal, and the distance 

 gained in advance be but a lew inclics, yet at 

 every stpji wo are so mudi furtlier on the niad 

 towards perfection. 



As the ver)' term " species" is arbitrary, and 

 many an one is ground out from what upon 

 closer study and better knowledge would pro\-e 

 to be but a vaiiety, we are fully of the opinion 

 tliat the man or woman who, for the first time, 

 gives to the world the complete history of an)- 

 one insect in its four stages, does infinitely more 

 for the cause of Entomology than the person 

 who publishes dry descriptions of a dozen sup- 

 l)osed species. In a private letter to us, tliat 

 well-known and experienced entomologist, P. 

 C. Zeller, of Stetten Prussia, suys: "I care very 

 little for the honor of being the author of a new 

 species ; it is far more meritorious and honoralile 

 to correctly observe and describe the nalnral 

 history of a single species, than to describe — 

 iifteii with ridiculous and meaningless names — 

 two dozen species after the reckless fashion of 

 some authors;" and we cannot more fully en- 

 dorse the sentiment expressed by Mr. Liiitiicr — 

 however fanciful and impracticable tlie iirojcct — 

 than by commending to careful consideration 

 lliis opinion of one of the leading entomologists 

 of the dav. 



THE TENT-CATERPILLAR OP THE FOREST. 

 {ClUiocampa fylmtica, Ban*.) 



^T"" ""rrfg.'iG:; ]"■■""" 



Colors— (a) Ijiown; (6 and r) cn-nm-color; (rf) rust-brown. 



In accordance witli the promise made in our 

 Imt number (p. 245), wo here give a brief ac- 

 ciHint of the Tent- caterpillar of the Forest 

 (C'lisiocampa si/lvatica). Wc do so the more 

 willingly because, as we shall presently show, 

 this insect is very generally confounded with the 

 common American Tent-caterpillar (("7. ameri- 

 cana, Harr.) , and because much confusion and 

 uncertainty with regard to its habits exist in the 

 minds of most farmers. In many parts of Mis- 

 souri it has been very destructive during the past 

 two summers, and we have had good opportuni- 

 ties to closely and carefully study its habits. The 

 species was first dosciibcd l>y the groat Massa- 

 chusetts entomologist, Dr. Harris, who unquali- 

 fiedly states that it lives in communities under a 

 common web or tent; Iiut with this exception 

 gives a very clear and truthful account of it.* 



rrs N.4.TIRAL HISTOin-. 



The egg-mass from which the Tent-caterpillar 

 of the Forest hatches (Fig. 10.5 a, showing it after 

 the young laiwa; have escajicd) may at once be 

 distinguished from that of the common Tcnt- 

 (raterpillar by its being of a uniform diameter, 

 and docked ofl' squarely at each end. It is usu- 

 ally composed of about 400 eggs, the number in 

 five masses which we counted ranging from 380 

 to 41(1. Each of the eggs composing this mass is 

 of a cream-white color, 0.04 inch long and 0.025 

 inch wide, narrow and rounded at the attached 

 end or base, gradually enlarging towards the top, 

 where it becomes slightly smaller (Fig. 105 d), 

 and abruptly terminates with a jironiiuent cir- 

 cular rim on the outside, and a sunken spot in 

 the centre (c). These eggs are deposited in circles, 

 the female niotli stationing herself, for this pur- 

 l)ose, in a transverse position across tiic twig. 

 AVilh abdomen curved she gradually moves as 

 the deposition goes on. and when one circli' is 



' inj. itiH. , p. ;i7(;. 



