358 REPORT 4, UNITED STATES ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 



In the American Cotton Planter for July, 1850, Mr. J. W. Boddie drew 

 up a short scieutilic description of the species under the name of 

 Phalaena zea ^^. 



In 1862, Mr. A. E. Grote (Proc. Ent. Soc. Phila., Vol. I), having cap- 

 tured a male of H. armigera on Long Island, which differed considerably 

 from the ordinary type, i:)ublished a description of it under the name of 

 H. umhrosiis, and remarked concerning it: 



Approaches to tlie European H. armigera, which species has, hoTvever, a discaliiiark 

 on The jDOSterior wings, and is atherwise specifically distinct. It appears also from the 

 description of H. exprimans Walker, C= B. M. Nocfc., p. 687,. to have some resemblance 

 with that species, but the expressions ''(alee anticse) orbiculari et renifcami magn's 

 ferrugineo marginatis,'- and '' (alee posticai) litura discali," do not apply to the species 

 I have just described "^i. 



In tlie very next year, however. Mr. Grote withdrew the name alto- 

 gether, having become satisfied of the identity of his type with the com- 

 mon European form. 



JSeliothis armigera has many popular names. In the cotton fields of 

 the South it is universally known as the "Boll Worm " ; in the Southern 

 corn-fields it is called early in the summer the " Bud Worm " j later, the 

 "Tassel Worm", and later still, the "Ear Worm." In the corn fields 

 of the West it is called the " Corn Worm." Tomato growers give it the 

 name of the " Tomato Fruit-worm," or "Corn Worm," and according 

 as it appears on peas, beans, or other vegetables, it receives still other 

 titles. 



GEOGRAPHICAL DISTEIBUTION. 



It would be difficult to find a more widely spread species than Helio- 

 this armigera. It has been found in every quarter of the globe, and, 

 within certain latitudinal limits, its localities of occurrence form a com- 

 plete girdle around the world. The following list of localities has been 

 gathered from different sources, principally from the British Museum 

 Catalogue of Lepidoptera, and will doubtless be greatly added to as 

 other localities are explored by entomologists. 



United States.— AW the States as far west as parallel 106 W., and as 

 far north as 44 X. It is also found in California, as we learn from the 

 Pacific Bural Press of September, 1870, and two specimens have beeii 

 received at the Department from Oregon. 



Mexico. 



West Indies. — Jamaica, Barbadoes, Cuba (Havana). 



South America. — Yenezuela, Brazil. 



iJz^rop^.— England, Isle of Weight, France, Spain (Gibraltar), Italy, 

 Germany. 



Africa. — Azores, Congo Eiver, Cape of Good Hoi)e, South Africa 

 (coast and interior). Port Xatal, Madagascar. 



Asia. — Bengal, [N'orth India, Mauritius, Ceylon. 



Malay Archipelago. — Java. 



Australia. — Xew South Wales, South Australia, Queensland. 



Southern Pacific. — New Zealand, Navigator Isles. 



