176 Forty-first Report on the St^te IIuseum. 



Mr. Isaac H. Soules, of Mongaup, Sullivan county, N. Y. — a teacher 

 of a school at that place. From his letters I extract as follows: 



On my way to school, early in the morning, upon leaving the main 

 road to cross the fields, I saw in the snow, moving quite fast, numbers 

 of worms of different sizes, from about one-eighth of an inch to one 

 inch long. I stooped down and examined them, and found them to be 

 of a yellowish color, darker on the sides than on the back, and lighter 

 beneath. They were very livel}^, and traveled as fast as if on the 

 ground. I called one of my neighbors and showed them to him, but 

 had nothing with me, in which I could carry any away. * * * 

 When I took them in my hand thej^ appeared to be very sensitive, and 

 would curl up like this [giving a figure representing the curved posi- 

 tion assumed by cut-worms when disturbed], and would remain so as 

 long as held in the hand, but as soon as replaced in the snow, would 

 crawl as lively as ever. The snow was about six inches deep, and 

 falling at a very rapid rate, although it was 'quite cold — tvf o degrees 

 below zero. There was a hard crust underneath the falling snow. 

 The worms were only on the surface, and seemed to be confused, 

 crawling in every direction. They were in the road, fields and woods. 

 I never saw anything to equal it, and my curiosity was aroused. 

 *****! observed them from about 7. BO to 8 a. m. 

 How long they continued on the surface, I am unable to say, as I 

 called school at 9 o'clock, and was not out again until noon, when I 

 could not find any of them, much to my surjDrise and regret, as I had 

 arranged to secure some of them. * * * * ijij^^ local 

 papers are making all sorts of sport about the worms. * * 

 * * * They were not seen at Stevensville, as 



reported, but in the town of Bethel, Sullivan county, about two 

 and a-half miles from the former place. ***** 

 The smaller ones resembled cut-worms, such as we commonly find in 

 our gardens. The larger ones were like those that are seen on timothy 

 hay when ripe or nearly so [meaning, probably, Leucania albilinea 

 Hiibn.], except that they were of a brownish color and not striped on 

 the sides. 



Later, Mr. Soules informed me that the worms were seen at another 

 place (not stated, but presumably in the town of Bethel) by some 

 workmen on the canal. The snow was falling fast at the time, the 

 temperature was below zero, and the. worms were moving rapidly. 

 Upon questioning the men closely, he concluded that they were of the 

 same kind as seen by him, and their occurrence was at the same time. 



Identification of the Caterpillar. 

 Two weeks thereafter, Mr. H. M. Stoddard, Postmaster at Stevens- 

 ville, of whom I had requested information and specimens, sent me a 

 number of " the worms found crawling on the ice at our place." 

 They were submitted to Mr. Soules, who identified them as of the 

 same kind as seen by him. They were also sent to Washington, to 

 the Entomological Division, where, on comparison with the alcoholic 

 specimens, they were jDronounced Nephelodes violans. 



