48 



IKJUEIOUS INSECTS 



at all surprised to learn that individuals have suffered 

 from it in years gone by. The French Entomologist, 

 Gruenee, gives as its food-plant, a species of potato, and 

 it is just possible that it may not always have fed upon 

 the same plants upon which it was first found in this 

 country. At all events, let us hope that it will disappear 

 as suddenly as it appeared; but should it occur again in 

 great numbers, the foregoing account will enable those 

 who grow melons, cucumbers, or squashes, to understand 

 their enemy, and to nip the evil in the bud, by carefully 

 overhauling their vines in the summer, a;nd destroying 

 the first worms that appear, either by feeding the infested 

 fruit to hogs or cattle, or by killing the worms on the 

 spot. 



THE I^IELON-WORM. 



(PJiacellwa hyaUnatalis, Linn,) 



The Melon-worm is described by Prof. J. H. Comstock, 

 in the Ee^^ortof the Department of Agriculture, for 1879, 

 as eating cavities into melons, cucumbers, and pumpkins 

 at all stages of growth, and also devouring their leaves. 

 The perfect insect {FhaceUura liyalinatalis, also 

 written Phahellura), has long been well known to 

 entomological collectors from its beauty and abun- 

 dance in certain localities; but has received almost 

 no attention from economic workers. Guenee in giving 

 its geographical distribution, says: Very common in all 

 America. I have received it from Brazil, fi'om Columbia, 

 from Hayti, from ^^"orth America, and from French 

 Guiana." 



As to the food plant of the larva Guenee simply states 

 that it lives upon the pumpkins, watermelons, and other 

 cucurbitaceous plants. 



In the July, 1875, number of " Field and Forest " a short 



