I08 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



and this, in connection with the nearly simultaneous appearance of 

 thousands in localities remote from any known food plant, would 

 seem explainable only by the moths rising in hosts from the cotton 

 fields and drifting hundreds of miles in the upper air before alight- 

 ing. 



Detailed records from New York localities are given below : 



Richmond county. Mr William T. Davis records the appearance 

 of some moths October nth, and on the 12th stated that they were 

 quite abundant about the lights at St George Ferry Landing on 

 Staten island. 



Westchester county. Mr Henry Bird states that the moths ap- 

 peared in the largest numbers October 8th to 12th, though at no 

 time did they appear to be so numerous as last year. He first ob- 

 served a few scattering moths October 3d, their numbers increas- 

 ing daily up to the nth, at which time they appeared to be present 

 in maximum numbers. They displayed a marked preference for 

 well-ripened Concord grapes, a little jarring of the trellis being 

 sufficient to flush a cloud of moths from the vines, to which they 

 would promptly return. Most of the specimens were in perfect 

 condition and in shady woodlands he observed them flying consid- 

 erably during the day. The local flight, as observed by Mr Bird, 

 was of short duration and extended but a few yards. The last 

 examples observed at Rye were seen on October 15th. 



Orange county. Mr Bird states that at Middletown numbers 

 were observed on October 14th and he was informed that they had 

 been more numerous for two or three. days previous. They seemed 

 to be more abundant than at Rye and were in evidence until the 



22d. 



Otsego county. Prof. I. P. Bishop of Buffalo advised us that he 

 learned of the appearance of the cotton moth in thousands about 

 October 10th at Index. The moths were reported as being so 

 numerous that it was necessary to sweep them from the slippery 

 railroad tracks. 



Ontario county. Prof. P. J. Parrott of the Geneva station states 

 that the cotton moths were exceedingly abundant at Geneva October 

 10th and nth, being so numerous as to collect in the gutters to the 

 depth of about three to four inches near the coke and gas works on 

 the eastern side of the city. He also adds that they appeared on 

 the same dates at Canandaigua. 



Monroe county. The moths were extremely abundant at Roch- 

 ester, according to press reports based upon an identification by 

 Prof. P. J. Parrott of Geneva. 



