ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 



365 



is only noticed in certain years? Such questions, 

 likc^asc, can receive no definite answer, 



**TiU old experience do attain 

 To something like prophetic 8ti-ain," 



For tliougii, to meet the first, we may assume 

 tliat the winter decimates their numbers, or tliat 

 the spring weather is not favorable to their in- 

 crease ; and to meet the last we may conjure up 

 a hundred reasons — yet assuming is notknowng, 

 and we must content ourselves with the facts as 

 they occur. 



In conclusion, it will afford a gi-ain of comfort 

 to those who have had wheat fields cleaned off 

 by this worm, to know that their wheat is not 

 necessarily ruined ; for, as we personally ascer- 

 tained, wheat that had been thus cut off in the 

 fall of 1868 made a good stand the following 

 spring ; and in one instance, where part of a field 

 had been invaded and the rest left untouched, it 

 really appeared that the part wliich had been 

 eaten off yielded the heaviest. Mr. Huron Burt, 

 of Callaway county, Mo., also informs us that 

 this insec^always leaves blue-grass untouched. 



Prodenia autumualU,n. sir— Imago (Pig 521, a, bandc), 

 Prrmlwiuiis uai'iuw W4«i«^c aiiex usually well rounded, and 

 with the niidilh' ol'fhe liind margin sometimes, but not often, 

 extending beyond apex: general color mouse-gray variegated 

 with smoliv-lnnuii, fulvous and pearly or bluish-white, 

 apical patch, hhiisli-wtiite andnever extending beyond nerve 

 5; the subterniiiiai line — wtiich is pale and bends like a bow, 

 approaching nearest tile terminal line between nerves 3 and 

 4 — generally blends \\ilh this iiatch so as to appear to start 

 from its lower eilge, liiit is sMinctiiiie^ w^ II si-paiated from it 

 so as to be traceil furtle r towards aj.ex ; dark spate preceding 

 subterminal line, conlliuil between nerves .! and .'i, blending 

 gradually with the rest of the wing, and barely showing two 

 darker sagittate spots: transverse anterior and ti-ansverse 

 posterior either suDobsoIete or tolerably well defined, each by 

 a geminate dark line: basal area divided longitudinally by 

 an irregiUar dark line, the wing below it quite light-coloreii: 

 orbicular spot large and elongated, a little lighter than sur- 

 rounding surface, and well defined by a fulvous annulation, 

 the pale oblique shade whicli generally encloses it in this 

 genus confined to a fulvous shade above, and either a more 

 distinct fulvous line behind or none at all: renifoiTii spot 

 generally dark, but sometimes lighter than space preceding; 

 not well defined, the small pale spot at top being generally 

 ilistinet, ami either partaking of the same form, or resem- 

 bling tin- small Utter e [left wingl ; the lower edge occupied 

 by a distinet w liite dash, which however never extends be- 

 yond it ami l)Ut seldom shows any tenilency to furcate with 

 the nerves: four tolerably distinct eiiiiiilistaid pale costal 

 spoU from reniform spot to apical pjiteli : terminal line oale, 

 even, paniUel with posterior margin; teiininal sp;n*.e nark, 

 except near apex and anal angle, divided intn snlnpimirate 

 spots bv the pale nerves: fringe either broad i>r narrow, of 

 same e'ulor as wing, with a narrow darker inner line, re- 

 lieved by Iwii very line paler ones which are barely disliii- 

 guishable: under' surface smoky, but paler interiorly anil 

 terminally, and fulvous along costa; the whole with a 

 nacreous lustre and more or less irrorate with brown, and 

 otlen with a flesh-colored tint near ajiex; fringes dark. 

 Hind wincis white with a faint l\ilvous tint; semitran»|iarent 

 and slightly iridescent, with extremities of nerves and b.ir- 

 ders, especially above, brown; flnnges dusky, espeeiullv at 

 apex, and with a paler inner line; under siirtnce similar. 

 Thorax, ab<lomin and legs of same general color a.s I'n.nt 

 wings, being paler below; the longer lateral ami anal ab- 

 dominal hairs more fidvous. Sexes with dilliciiltjrdislin- 

 guished, the size and shape of the abdomen not even being a 

 safe criterion. Maximum e-xpanse 1.40; minimum expanse 

 l.Wi inches. Described from 18 specimens, bred Sept. 20th— 

 Oct. 10th, from corn-fed larva) 



Variktv ruLVOSA (Fig. 221, b) .—Front wingt greatly suf- 

 fused with fiilvous, especially in the lower median space, 

 which r fU'n inclines to ochraceons ; apical space more or less 

 defined; oblique median band distinct to median nerve, and 

 orbicular spot with an ochre-colored centre. Described from 

 5 specimens, bred Sept 25th— Oct. 3rd, fVom corn-fed larv.-u, 



Vaiuetv OiistiiRA (Fig. 221, c).— front wing* of a much more 

 unifonu and darker color, either giayish-brown with aslight 

 viuous tint, or deep smoky brown inclining to black, or a deep 

 warm brown with but little gray; apical space either entirely 



obsolete or but very faintly indicated; oblioue fulvous band 

 across upper middle of wing also obsolete; the ordiiiarv lines 

 either entirely obsolete [one specimen onlyl or distinctly 

 marked; the ordinary spots sometimes obsolete, liut imu-e 

 generally indicated bv fulvous lines. Described I'mni 8 

 specimens, bred Sept 21st— Oct. 2nd, from corn.fed larv:u. 



f.nri'a — liround color very variable, generallv dark and 

 pitchy-black when young, but varjing aller the last moult 

 from pale brown to pale dirty gi'een, with mure i.r less pink 

 or vi'llow admLxed- all the markings picidneed by line, m'lre 

 or less intense, brown, crimson and \ellow mottlings. Dor- 

 sum brownish with a narrow line down the miildle. rendered 

 conspicuous by a darker shade eaih si.ie id' it . A ibuk, sub- 

 dorsal band >^ as wide as each Joint is lung; darkest at its 

 upper edge, where it isbordend and distinetlv separated I'roni 

 dorsum by a yellow line which, i\ci pi on joint II w lore it 

 deflects a little upwards, is quite stiaiiilil ; ].aler in the mid- 

 dle of each joint. A pale, eillier bnlV .o- llcsli-col,,nil, sub- 

 stigmatal band, bordered above and below bv a nuirnw, 

 yellow and wavy line Venter pale, lleail pal'e vellow ish- 

 brown, with sometimes a tinge of green or pink: the iri- 

 angular piece yellowish, the Y-mark distinct ami while, the 

 cheeks with lour more or less distinct lateral brown lines 

 and with dark brown mottlings and nettings, wliich hce.onie 

 confluent and form a dark curved mark :it the snlun.irgin 

 behind the prongs and each side of the stem of the Y ."Stig- 

 mata large, brown, with a pale annul.ition. and just within 

 the lowered.wofthedark.-^nl.iloi sal band. Legs cillicr li;;lit or 

 d:irk. (Jer\<>al slii'-ft darker than hodv, with the minow 

 dorsal and snbdoe-iil lino eMcmliim coiUpicnoii-lv llirough 

 it: anal plate ;ilso dark, narrow and margined by the pale 

 subdorsal lines— both plates furnishing stilT hairs, but with- 

 out tubercles. Piliferous tubercles on joints 2 and 3, au^keil 

 in a transverse row, and quite large, esnecially on ^^V 2; 

 on joints 4 — 10 inclusive the superuu- eight are arramWl as 

 follows : 4 in a trapezoid in dorsal space ,^ the postei-ior two iw 

 lur again ftora each other as the anterior two, and two ner 

 stigmata, one above and on« behind: on joint II the dorsal .-' 

 are in a square, and on joint 12 in a trapezoid, with llie )ios- 

 terior and not the anterior ones nean'st together : the thoracic 

 joints have eacii a large siibveutral tubercle just above the 

 legs. Length 1.10 — 1.50 inch. Described from numerous 

 specimens . 



Pupa — Fonned in ground, without cocoon; of normal 

 form, bright mahogliny-browu, and with a distinct forked 

 point at extremity. 



THE SO-CALLED WEB-WORM OP YOUNG TllOUT. 



So much has already been written about the 

 Simulium by those wlio are mucli better vci'sed 

 in the science of Entomology than 1 am, that I 

 feel like treading on sanctified ground in under- 

 taking to write concerning it. But as I was 

 successful in rearing the perfect insect of the 

 particular species that makes Spring Creek its 

 home, and has lately caused such a commotion 

 among the followers of the " gentle art, " I will 

 endeavor to give my observations and experi- 

 ence in as few words as possible. 



They made their first appearance in the perfect 

 state about the first of AjMil. At that time I 

 had two larvai. One of them perislied in a few 

 hours after leaving the water. The other spun 

 what might be called a fine delicate "web," 

 closely welding it to the glass at every poin.. 

 This structure was irregular in outline, but if a 

 circle were inscribed in it, the radius of the 

 circle would correspond to the length of the 

 grub. 



By pouring some fresh water into the dish, 

 the larva was displaced. It could not regain 

 its former position, nor did it make anotlicr 

 endeavor to spin; but died in a day or two. 

 During the months of April and May, wlflle 

 ■easrching for other aquatic larvae, I occasionally 



