THE QUESTION OF HIBERNATION. 
17 
from mistaken identity, we will here quote part of a letter received 
from Professor Willet, who 1ms particularly interested himself in this 
subject. u I have received to-night," writes Professor Willet, '-from 
Kev. Robert Harris, of Cairo, Thomas County, Georgia, a small tin box 
inclosing 25 chrysalides, which I forward yon by mail. Mr, Harris is 
an anient believer in the subterranean hibernation of the chrysalis of 
Alttia anjillacca. I transcribe the portion of his letter pertinent to the 
case : 
4 Cairo, Ga., February 22, 1S79. 
( Washington's birthday and victory. Perneverantia vincit. The facts 
drive "analogy" to the wall. Here they are: 2.") cotton- worm chrysa- 
lides ploughed up out of the ground in a lield that was riddled by the 
insects hist rail. 
'This is unimpeachable evidence, and in the opinion of the court is 
amply sufficient to convict the prisoner.' 
u The chrysalides," continues Professor Willet, "appear to my eye 
very like Alttia chrysalides which I have in spirits, and I await your 
verdict with interest." 
The chrysalides referred to in this instance resemble those of A letia so 
thoroughly In form, size, and general appearance that they might have 
been mistaken therefor even by some entomologists; yet, from certain 
minute structural differences, easily observable with a good lens, we were 
able at once to decide that the\ belonged to another insect, the Aspila 
virescens oi' Fabricius,a beautiful moth, with olivaceous primaries, marked 
with three distinct, pale, transverse lines, relieved by coincident deeper 
Shades, the translucent green larva of which, speckled with minute, pale, 
fleshy elevations, we have found feeding on Solanum sitglinge in Saint 
Louis. 16 
There are many species of night flying moths which go through their 
transformations beneath the ground, and there hibernate in the chrysalis 
state. The leaves of the cotton-plant are palatable to a very large num- 
ber of such, while the Doll-worm (Hdiolhi* arm'ujera) and the "Grass- 
worm" (Laphygma firugiperda), which thus transform, are sometimes 
very abundant in a cotton-field. Jt is not at all surprising, therefore, 
that the chrysalides should be plowed or dug up in land planted to cot- 
ton. All of them, upon careful scrutiny, will be found to differ from the 
chrysalis of Aletia, which may be distinguished by its slender form, and 
particularly by the tip of the body with its armature, as shown in Fig. 4. 
In short, the nature of the Aletia chrysalis effectually prevents it from 
working beneath the ground, except where, dropping out of its cocoon, 
it happens to fall into some crack or crevice, and thus wriggle beneath 
the surface. It is also contrary to all analogy that a chrysalis normally 
found above ground in a cocoon should work beneath the soil; for all 
insects that pupate under ground descend while in the larva state. 
Experiments which we have repeatedly made prove that the Aletia 
chrysalis, when placed under ground, either rots and perishes or the 
G3 CONG 2 
