OF THE FARM AND GARDEiq". 177 



THE BAG-WORM, BASKET- WOEM, or DROP-WORM. 



(Thyridopteryx ephemerceformis, Haw). 



The Bag-worm may be regarded as a Southern rather 

 than a Xorthern insect^ though it is found as far North 

 as the northern part of New Jersey. 



It is known to occur on Long Island, N. Y., in New 

 Jersey, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylyania, Ohio, 

 Maryland, District of Columbia, the Carolinas, Georgia, 

 Alabama, Kentucky, South Illinois, and South Missouri. 

 Like the Canker-worm, the Tussock-moth, and all other 

 insects in which the perfect female is wingless, the Bag- 

 worm is extremely local in character, often abounding in 

 a particular neighborhood, and being totally unknown a 

 few miles away. 



The clothing made by different insects, for protection 

 either against the inclemency of the weather or against 

 their enemies, is even more varied in cut and make-up, 

 than are the divers costumes of the different peoples, 

 civilized and barbarous, which inhabit our globe. Some 

 insects live in the interior of leaves, using the upper and 

 under cuticles as protection; some make their coats out 

 of leaves themselves; some make cases of a sort of gummy 

 cement, while others use cases of sj)un silk; but by far the 

 greater number of those which protect themselves at all, 

 employ silken cases which they cover and disguise with 

 some other material. Thus lichens, grass, rushes, stones, 

 shells, sand, wool, cotton, hair, wax, and the bark, twigs 

 and leaves of trees, are all used for this purpose, while a 

 few worms actually use their own excrement arranged on 

 the outside of their cases with mathematical precision; 

 unlike us mortals, however, these insects do not change 

 the fashion of their dress with every change of season, 

 but follow strictly the pattern used by their ancestors, 

 who cut, spun, and wove, ages before our primordial 



