The Insects of the Past Year and Progress in Insect Studies. 229 



seventy feet or more in height, had not a single leaf remaining upon 

 them; the green leaf -stalks and portions of the principal ribs were 

 alone left. The caterpillars, not having at the time attained full 

 growth, would probably continue their defoliation of the remainder 

 of the grove, unless a disease, apparently bacterial in its nature, 

 which was observed to have attacked and killed a large number, the 

 remains of which were hanging from the tree-trunks, should spread 

 and thereby arrest their ravages. 



The usual prevalence of the caterpillar of the white-marked tussock- 

 moth, Orgyia leucostigma (Sin. -Abb.), whose operations nearly every 

 year greatly impair the beauty of the foliage of the maples and the 

 horse-chestnut, was not observed by me in Albany or its vicinity, or 

 in other sections of the State visited by me, nor was it reported else- 

 where, in entomological journals. The conditions of the season may 

 not have been favorable for it; but more probably it had been sub- 

 jected to serious parasitic attack the preceding year, as it certainly 

 was during the present year, for the conspicuous white egg-masses 

 resting on the cocoons, indicating the development of the female and 

 giving promise of future ravages, were very rarely to be seen this 

 season. The unsightly cotton bands which so many of the citizens of 

 Albany had placed about the trunks of their maples and elms, was labor 

 lost, for so far as my observation extended, they failed to serve their 

 purpose, for the caterpillars were not present about the base of the 

 trees for the purpose of climbing to the foliage. 



Two instances have been brought to my notice during the year of 

 an extraordinary multiplication of insects, which has led them to 

 depart from their accustomed habits, and to intrude in large numbers 

 in dwelling-houses, to the serious annoyance and discomfort of the 

 household. One of these was that of the weevil, known as OHorhyn- 

 chus ovatus (Linn.), which now for the second year has invaded many 

 houses in Potsdam, St. Lawrence county, to such an extent that aid 

 has been asked in the effort to meet the invasion. The beetle had 

 previously in other localities in the State displayed a propensity for 

 entering dwellings, as was noticed in my second report (under the 

 name that it formerly bore of 0. ligneus) but never before in such 

 remarkable numbers as reported from Potsdam. It was more 

 abundant on the exterior of houses, where, at times, the railings of 

 Piazzas would be black with their bodies, as they climbed up the side 

 walls to the roof above, and could be collected from the gutters, as 

 stated, by quarts. 



