93 
From this it is apparent that the first generation is distinguished by 
its much shorter life, but with regard to any other generation it is not 
safe to generalize, except possibly to mention that the longest indi- 
vidual records were made during the month of September. 
During September Mr. Girault experimented on a series of twenty 
moths, each of which was subjected to different conditions of food 
supply. His results are given below. 
Table XXXVII. — Effect of food conditions on length of life of moths. 
Number and sex of 
moths. 
Food given. 
Length of life. 
Range. 
Eggs de- 
posited. 
Lot. 
Males. 
Females. 
General 
average. 
1 
1 female, 3 males 
All females 
None 
Days. 
6 
Days. 
44 
64 
H 
104 
30 
23f 
Days. 
3 to 6f 
44 to 94 
64 to 84 
7 to 12i 
17 to 38 
23 
2 
Water for one day 
91 
3 
4 
5 
2 males, 2 females 
2 males, 2 females 
2 males, 2 females 
Sirup one day 
Water every day . . 
Sirup every day . . . 
64 
94 
174 
160 
10 
866 
It is at once seen that the length of life increases as we pass down 
the columns, but that oviposition is not really begun until food is 
obtained, for it will be noticed that moths given only water laid prac- 
tically no eggs, although they lived longer than those fed once on 
sirup. This one feeding, however, sufficed to induce considerable 
oviposition. 
The apparent necessity for a continuous food supply is a factor 
which is very important in relation to the feeding habits of the moths 
in nature, and will be referred to again in connection with the use of 
June corn and cowpeas as a trap crop. 
One point which may be mentioned in passing is the gluttony of the 
moths when given abundant food. The sirup or sugar solution used 
in the laboratory had to be given very sparingly, otherwise the moths 
would gorge themselves, and the subsequent fermentation of the sugar 
which could not be digested would invariably cause premature death. 
DAY HABITS. 
During the daytime the boll worm moth is usuall}^ very quiet, rest- 
ing immovable in more or less concealed places. During the early 
part of the summer, corn, which is still in the ''bud," furnishes the 
favorite hiding place. Here the moths remain well down in the cen- 
tral cavity or between the still closely curled leaves. The insects rest 
with the head up and the wings tightly folded down over the back. In 
this position they often remain during the entire day unless molested 
or frightened. A jarring of the plant, or any unusual disturbance, 
however, quickly awakens the resting moth, and hastily leaving 'the 
plant it flies wildl}^ until it chances upon another, where it quickly 
insinuates itself into the bud by a series of zigzag backward move- 
