30 



COT-WORHS. OVR ILL SOCCeSS IN ItBADINO TDEU. 



and described. But only one of them is known to us in its larva state. 

 We also know that at least five other Cut-worms, in addition to this one, 

 are formidable encnii(!S to us, depredating every j'ear, more or less, upon 

 the youtig plants in our fields and gardens, but we know not the species to 

 ■which they respectively pertain, and consequently are unable to distinguish 

 either of them definitely, by giving to it its correct name. 



I have for a great many years regarded these Cut-worms as a most 

 important subject requiring to be elucidated. And accordingly, almost 

 every year, upon meeting with some of these worms, I have written in my 

 notes a particular description of them, and have endeavored to feed and 

 rear tliera to their perfect state, but without success. They are very intol- 

 erant of confinement, especially when they are not grown to their full size. 

 Upon discovering that they are imprisoned, they lose all relish for food, 

 and become intent on one thing only, namely, to find some orifice in their 

 prison walls through which to escape. Accordingly, when the shades of 

 evening arrive, they come out from the earth in the box or pot in which 

 thej' are placed, and crawl hurriedly and anxiously around and around, the 

 whole night long, as I have found on going to them with a light. The 

 vegetables transplanted into the box for them to feed upon remain un- 

 touched. In this manner, they in a few nights wear their lives away, and 

 are found lying stark and stiff on tl.e surface of the dirt of their cage. 

 From the experience I have had, I regard them as among the most difficult 

 insects which I have ever taken in hand to feed and rear from their larva 

 to their perfect state. 



It had accordingly become evident to me that a suitable knowledge of 

 these Cut-worms could never be gained in the nsanner I had attempted — 

 by casual observations made at moments snatched from other investiga- 

 tions. It was only bj' making them the leading subjects of examination; 

 devoting to them ample time and care and vigilance; studying them as they 

 were growing up in the fields and gardens; watching them from day to 

 day, there, in their natural haunts, until they became fully matured and 

 were done feeding, and then placing them in cages to complete their trans- 

 formations and reveal to us what thej' are in their perfect states; I saj', it 

 had become evident to me that it was only in this manner that the requisite 

 knowledge of these creatures could be obtained, to prepare such an exact 

 history of them as th(!ir importance and the advanced state of science at 

 this day demand. 



I have, therefore, for several j'ears, had it in contemplation, when a 

 season occurred in which these worms were numerous, to devote my chief 

 attention to them. And accordingly, on becoming aware last May, that 

 these worms would be quite common in my vicinity, I resolved to make 

 them the subjects of special investigation. 



And I now proceed to give a summary account of these insects and their 

 habits, and ihe progress which the researches of the past season has ena- 

 bled us to make towards a more full and exact knowledge of them. 



It is in midsummer, mostly in the month of July, that the moths or mil- 

 lers come abroad and lay the eggs from which the Cut-worms are bred. 



