68 



each leaf attacked, eating small holes through its substance, and gradually devouring all 

 but the skeleton. Then forced to seek new feeding grounds they separate more and more 

 as size and appetite increase, until often the whole bush is visited and defoliated. The 



Fig. 28. Fig. 29. 



larvae* (Fig. 29) are whitish when hatched, but soon become green, and then develop 

 numerous black spots, and have the extremities tinged with yellow. When full-grown 

 they descend to the ground and spin oval, smooth, tough, brownish cocoons, either under 

 leaves and rubbish or in the ground ; occasionally they are found attached to the stems 

 andjleaves of the bushes. The flies emerge generally about the first of July, and the 

 second brood of worms attain their full growth toward the close of summer, and winter 

 in their cocoons. Hellebore has been proved to be the most convenient and efficient 



remedy for the removal of the worms. It is 

 applied in the proportion of an ounce to a pail 

 of water, thoroughly mixed, and freely sprinkled 

 over the plants ; care being taken to watch for 

 the successive broods. 



Nematus Er'ichsonii is a saw-fly which has 

 recently been found committing immense ravages 

 upon the larch (commonly known as tamarac, 

 hackmatack, juniper, etc.) in the Provinces of 

 Quebec and New Brunswick, as well as in por- 

 tions of the United States. It is about the size 

 of the preceding species ; the head, antennae, 

 thorax and tip of abdomen are black ; the legs, 

 except hind feet, and five segments of abdomen 

 are rufous. The larvae devour the leaves rapidly, 

 and when numerous a tree is speedily stripped. 

 They spin cocoons very similar to those of the 

 ventricosus.* 



Nematus Similarls is a smaller species, of 

 which the worms feed upon the leaves of the 

 locust. The fly (Fig. 30, f) is about one-fourth 

 of an inch long ; yellowish, with a patch on top 

 of head ; the sides and front of the thorax and 

 bands on the abdomen, black. The egg (Fig. 30, 

 a) is laid in a slit made on the under surface of 

 the leaf (as are those of many other species) and the worm (Fig. 30, b, c), when hatched, 



A special paper on this species is being prepared by Mr. Fletcher, who has studied its extensive 

 ravages, so that a mure complete account of it is unnecessary here. 



