40 



masses of the insect, and, if removed and burned before spring, will 

 certainly prevent the development, of myriads of the pest. From young 

 larvae sent to me last spring I reared several parasites (Limneria flavi- 

 cincta, Ashm.), but these were not sufficiently numerous to materially 

 reduce the numbers of the host insect. If the infested trees be sprayed 

 with Paris green, in the proportion of 1 pound to 300 gallons of 

 water, or a very dilute solution of arsenites of ammonia, 1 pint to 100 

 gallons of water, the insects will be killed without injury to the foliage 

 of any tree. 



Chamyris cerintha Treat. — The singular larvae of this beautiful moth 

 were taken this summer feeding on the foliage of the Damson Plum. 

 They devour the leaf on both sides to the mid-rib, leaving the latter. 

 I think they have not heretofore been recorded among insects that dep- 

 redate on the foliage of fruit trees. 



Catocala grynea is becoming with us quite a serious orchard pest 

 during the latter part of May and June. The larvse rest during the 

 day, closely appressed to the trunk and larger branches, and feed at 

 night. Spraying with Paris green is an effectual remedy. 



Edema albifrons, which has not been found here for a number of years, 

 made a serious attack on the white and post oaks early in the summer, 

 inflicting considerable injury on the foliage. No experiments were 

 made in the application of artificial remedies. 



SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE FOREST TENT-CATERPILLAR. 



While on a visit to Minnesota in May I had an opportunity of wit- 

 nessing a remarkable outbreak of the above-named insect ( Glisiocampa 

 disstria Hbn.). In all the forests around Minneapolis, and especially 

 on the fine trees along the shores of Lake Minnetonka, the oaks, elms, 

 lindens (Tilia), and ash trees were entirely stripped of their young 

 leaves, the larvae migrating from tree to tree as fast as the latter 

 were defoliated. Many would descend by the trunk, but a large pro- 

 portion preferred to leave the tree by means of silken ropes, often 

 stretched from the highest branches to the ground, and which, by 

 the thread contributed by each descending worm, became eventually 

 as thick as packing cord and very strong. Down this the worms 

 crawled in single file. In driving along the woodland roads these long 

 swaying strings of worms presented a most singular spectacle. Occa- 

 sionally one of these ladders would be carried by the wind (or possibly 

 by the accidental impact of a bird) from one tree to another, and even 

 across the roads, forming festoons of crawling worms through which it 

 was anything but agreeable for nervous people to drive. 



The few orchards of that part of the country were also badly infested 

 by the same species. 



I could not observe much of the tent-making habit. Even when 

 molting in companies the larvae merely spun mats of silk against the 



