THE BOLL WORM NATURAL ENEMIES. 375 



curved spines. The pupa of Heliothis at the extremity of its abdomen 

 is rounded and bears two long, straight, slender spines. 



Adult. — The differences between the two moths are so well marked 

 and so easily seen by a glance at the plates, that it seems unnecessa/rj^ to 

 particularize. The Heliothis is a larger and stouter bodied moth than 

 Aletia, although the wing expanse is but slightly greater. Aside from 

 the differences in color and markings, which are so plainly perceptible in 

 two cabinet specimens placed side by side, the Heliothis may usually 

 be distinguished either at rest or during flight by the conspicuous black 

 band on the hinder border of the hind wings, which, as we have already 

 seen, is partly shown by the slight lifting of the front wings, even when 

 the moths are at rest. 



NATURAL ENEMIES. 



The natural enemies of the Boll Worm, so far as they have been ob- 

 served, are almost identical with those of Aletia. Among the verte- 

 brates Bats have been seen to catch the moths on the wing at night 

 and -devour them, and the smaller animals mentioned in the chapter on 

 the natural enemies of Aletia feed upon Heliothis as well. Domestic 

 poultry seem to have no preference as between the two worms. The fol- 

 lowing evidence of the good offices of poultry is from Judge Johnson's 

 report : 



But of all birds the most effectual I have found are domestic turkeys and chickens. 

 Turkeys range through a cotton field, looking up into the leaves, and well hid must 

 be the worm they do not find. Their value has long been known in tobacco fields. 

 Chickens, on the other hand, not so good after the worms, are exceedingly active in 

 pursuit of moths. 



When two small fields near me, and daily visited this summer, became naturally- 

 planted with Aletia the last of August and 1st of September, the neighboring turkeys 

 and chickens were there from morning till evening. They never allowed Aletia to 

 get more than half grown. Even when, on the 20th of September, I brought hun- 

 dreds of Aletia larvae into one of them for experiments with pyrethrum, the turkeys 

 hunted them out with superior interest and eyesight. In a few hours none were left, 

 except two, which were old enough to web up before they were found out. 



How they should find the Boll Worms so often I do not know. But as a fact it was 

 vain for me to mark stalks with youn^g Heliothis upon them for future observations. 

 The turkeys were there from morning until night, and Heliothis did not dare to 

 show his nose, as he often does at the close of day, without danger from these vigi- 

 lant guards. Practically I was compelled to cage all I proposed to Avatch. 



To the great planting interest these facts can be of little value. It would require 

 flocks of immense numbers and to be herded about over the fields, to accomplish any- 

 thing proportionate to what is above related of small patches near habitations. 



Probably all insectivorous birds nesting in the South assist in the 

 destruction of Heliothis. As a matter of fact, however, but few observa- 

 tions have actually been made. The King Bird or Bee Martin [Tyran- 

 nus carolinensis Baird) has been especially mentioned by several observ- 

 ers, as also the Mocking Bird (Mimus jpolyglottus Boie). Concerning 

 these two birds Mr. Glover has said : 



Insectivorous birds also serve as very useful agents in the diminution of the Boll 

 Worm. In proof of this fact I will state that I have seen a king-bird, or bee-martin, 



