REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENT] 39 



It is perhaps worthy of record that the large, formidable appearing 

 larva- of both Citheronia regalis and / never 



before so abundant in this locality as they were this autumn. They 

 were brought to me again and again as something very wonderful and 

 from appearances very dangerous. About the 1st of August a bat- 

 tered female of imperialis was brought me in a box in which in the 

 course of two or three days she placed two hundred and seventy-tive 

 ^. These were subglobose. 4 Ium in diameter, of a cream-white 

 color, streaked or tinged with pale brown. The larvae hatched in seven 

 days. As I was about leaving home for several weeks the young larva- 

 were placed upon a small sycamore tree (Platanus) and left to their 

 fate. Upon my return a careful examination resulted in the discovery 

 of about a dozen of the half grown larvae. Th< disappe 



one by one. having been, in all probability, devoured by birds. 



The Horn Fly. — The past season was notable for the invasion of the 

 State by this cattle pest, at least for its manifestation in such numbers 

 as to prove injurious to cattle and excite alarm among stock- growers. 

 The newspapers contained numerous references to it. many of them ot 

 a sensational character, although the reality was in most insta 

 quite bad enough. The insect was reported to me by letter from >ix 

 or seven different sections of the State and has undoubtedly appeared, 

 in greater or less numbers, over the entire area. In our suburb of 

 Kirkwood and on the neighboring dairy farms its attacks upon the 

 delicate and thin-skinned Jerseys were very disastrous, certain i 

 showing much greater sensitiveness to its bites than others. The cause 

 of the trouble was net immediately recognized, but as soon as the fly 

 was identified the remedies suggested by the Department were applied 

 and brought measurable relief. Our town veterinarian recommended 

 for the cases to which he was called an application of liquid tar. to be 

 procured in pint cans from druggists. This was thickly spread over 

 the shoulders, neck, and udder, and. though very disfiguring, was, 

 things considered, the best repellant used, as its effect extended over 

 a. period of a week or ten days, much longer than that oi ker< 

 emulsion or carbolized vaseline. It is. however, more expensive both 

 in money and labor, and, therefore, not so well adapted to use on I 

 herds of cattle as the kerosene emulsion. The habit of the horn fly 

 of resting on the cattle by night as well as by day gives the la tt « 

 respite, since, even when not biting, its presence seems to be irritating. 

 From my observations this year, however, 1 draw the hopeful conclu- 

 sion that in our climate and that of Kansas and southern Illinois; it 

 will not be able to multiply as it does in localities not subject to annual 

 and protracted droughts. After dry weather set in the droppings were 

 so quickly hardened that the larva- were unable to develop, and by the 

 1st of August but tew flies were noticed upon cattle in this locality. 

 We also found that chickens in the stable yard and pasture rendered 

 good service by scratching into and spreading the droppings and pick- 



