ANSWERS TO CIRCULAR NO. 7. [83] 



houses covered with shingles, or iu comers of leuces macie of rails with the bark on 

 them. Just liefore suuset, after one of these warm days, they will come out aud fly 

 around. At this time they do not possess the same brilliant colors that they do in 

 spring and summer when they are depositing their eggs, and one not ])erfecTly 

 acquainted with them might mistake them .for another species. They therefore pass 

 the winter in the buttertly form, iu a semi-torpid condiriou; yet, strange to remark, 

 eti passant, the tirst thing seen of them in the spring of the year is the worm itself. 



8. First, bii'ds (Ares) of various kinds aud coudition.s feed u)ore or Jess on them; 

 among others I will mention the moeking-bird {Oi'plieus pohjfjlotius of LinnjBiis). This 

 bird feeds extensively on the Cotton Caterpillar (J^/e/m x/y/ijm) in the early months 

 of its existence ; bat they are not gregarious, hence their work is little' appreciated iu 

 this direction, they not beiug disposed to go in flocks or localize or concentrate their 

 destnictiveness. 



This i)reseut year (1879) the Cotton Worms have not develo])ed as rapidly aud as 

 numerously as they have done usually heretofore, aud among other causes retarding 

 their progress has been pointed out as their great enemy the red-winged black-bird 

 {Agelmis^phdnkeus). This bird has been seen iu large flocks iu the cotton-tields very 

 early this year. These birds have been seen frequentiiig our fields aud forests in great 

 nuuibers late iu the autumual season, but have never been known here in the mouths 

 of July and August before. One planter told me that he saw one flock of at least forty 

 thousand iu the cotton-field ! This number may have been considerably exaggerated, 

 hut there is no question that they have been in 1he cotton-fields during these early 

 months, July and August, in very great quantities, such as have never been seen before. 

 I have been'informed that they feed upon the worms in three of their forms, the butter- 

 fly, caterpillar, aud chrysalis. These birds should be protected and jtermitted to build 

 theif nests uudisturbed l)y the hunter's shot or idle boy's hand. Mauy other solitary 

 birds feed upon them, but their work is not appreciated. 



As to quadrupeds, there are none known, with perhaps the single exception of the 

 raccoon {Procxjon lotor). He has been seen feeding on them, and planters inform me 

 that they have seen the tops of the stalks bent and broken, evidently the work of the 

 eoon in search of the caterpillar. 



Insects. Ants (family Formicidoi, order Hymenoptera) have always been looked upon 

 as one of the most inveterate enemies of the Cotton Caterpillar, destructive to them 

 in all of their four diflereut forms. They will detach the egg from the leaf and bear 

 it otito their formicary ; attack and kill the worm either in its active eating state or 

 when under the torpidity of the second or chrysalis state, aud if it is possible for them 

 to capture a butterfly it shares the same fate. It may be owing to their inability to 

 procreate and move about during wet weather that the worms are enabled to escape 

 their depredations. It is a well-known fact that the female ant is winged, hence it is 

 plain to be seen that wet weather will considerably interfere with their proper func- 

 tional office. The female ants are furnished at their exclusion with two pairs of wings, 

 which after swarming in concourse with the males they almost immediately cast. 

 The office of the perfect or winged female is to provide a constant supply of eggs for 

 the maintai nance of the population. Rainy weather can therefore keep the female 

 ant " cribbed, cabined, and confined" to her prison life ; if she is permitted to venture 

 forth it is possible for her to be lost in the storm. The suberabundant surface-water 

 remaining after heavy rains will greatly impede the active operations of the "neu- 

 ters," or working ants, whose office it is to supply and protect the colony. 



The wasp (genus Vespa, order Hynienoptera) attacks the worm, aud will carry them 

 oft" to feed their young, aud should they be so unfortunate as to droj) one on the 

 ground en route, the ants will be certain to pick it up. 



There is a small chinch-bug constantly found on the cotton-plant leaf, which un- 

 doubtedly feeds on the ova or eggs of the butterflies. They are not numerous, how- 

 ever, and are too small and insignificant to do any great amount of damage or inter- 

 fere materially with the rapid increase of the worms. 



9. The only eftbrt ever made in this parish to destroy the butterflies has been by 

 fires at night. They are easily attracted by the "glitter of a garish flame" at night, 

 and great quantities can be destroyed in this manner. It, however, requires concert 

 of action on the part of a large number of planters, which has never been done. As 

 to attracting them by sugar, &c., it is generally believed that the butterfly does not 

 take nourishment during its short life, or, if it does, the quantity is too small for them 

 to be successfully jjoisoned. 



10. They will be attracted only by the lights. 



11. I do not know of any flowers that will attract them. They are not seen on any 

 other plant than the cotton. 



1*2. Nothing. 



13. Nothing. 



14. First, as to the plant : If the mixture is put on too highly concentrated it will 

 kill leaves, blooms, and bolls. Second, as to man: When any portion of the cuticle is 

 abraded and the mixture allowed to get on this particular place, it is apt to cause local 



