THE BOLL WORM NATURAL ENEMIES. 
375 
curved spines. The pupa of Heliothis at the extremity of its abdomen 
is rounded and bears two long, straight, slender spiues. 
Adult. — The differences between the two moths are so well marked 
and so easily seen by a glance at the plates, that it seems unnecessary to 
particularize. The Heliothis is a larger and stouter bodied moth than 
Aletia. although the wing expanse is but slightly greater. Aside from 
the differences in color and markings, which are so plainly perceptible in 
two cabinet specimens placed side by side, the Heliothis may usually 
be distinguished either at rest or during Might by the conspicuous black 
band on the hinder bolder of the hind wings, which, as we have already 
seen, is partly shown by the slight lifting of the front wings, eveu when 
the moths are at rest. 
NATURAL ENEMIES. 
The natural enemies of the Boll Worm, so far as they have been ob- 
served, are almost identical with those of Aletia. Among the verte- 
brates Bats have been seen to catch the moths on the wing at night 
and devour them, and the smaller animals mentioned in the chapter on 
the natural enemies of Aletia feed upon Heliothis as well. Domestic 
poultry seem to have no preference as between the two worms. The fol- 
lowing evidence of the good offices of poultry is from Judge Johnson's 
report : 
lint of all birds the most effectual I have found a it domestic turkeys ;; ml chickens. 
Turkeys range through a cotton field, looking up into the leaves, and well hid must 
he the worm they do not find. Their value has long been known in tobacco lields. 
Chickens, oil the other hand, uot so good after the worms, are exceedingly active in 
pursuit of moths. 
W hen two small fields near me, and daily visited this summer, hfHHHIWI TIltllTftHj 
planted with Aletia the last of August and 1st of September, the neighboring t urkeys 
and chickens were there from morning till evening. They never allowed Aletia to 
get more than half grown. Even when, 00 the 20th of September, I brought hun- 
dreds of Aletia larva' into one of them for experiments with pyrethrum, the turkeys 
hunted them out with superior interest and eyesight. In a few hours none were left, 
except two. which were old enough to web up lie fore they were found out. 
How they should find the Boll Worms so often I do uot know. But as a fact it was 
vain for me to mark stalks with young Heliothis upon them for future observations. 
The turi eys weio there from morning until night, and Heliothis did not dare to 
show his nose, as he often does at the elose of day, without danger from these vigi- 
lant guards. Practically I was compelled to cage all I proposed to watch. 
To the great planting interest these facts can be of little value. It would require 
docks of immense numbers and to be herded about over the fields, to accomplish any- 
thing proportionate to what is above related of small patches near habitations. 
Probably all insectivorous birds nesting in the South assist in the 
destruction of Heliothis. As a matter of fact, however, but few observa- 
tions have actually been made. The King Bird or Bee Martin [Tyr an- 
nus oarolinensis Baird) has been especially mentioned by several observ-. 
crs, as also the Mocking Bird (Mimus polyglotUis Boie). Concerning 
these two birds Mr. Glover has said: 
Insectivorous birds also serve as very useful agents in the diminution of the Boll 
Worm. In proof of this fact I will state that I have seen a king-bird, or bee-martin, 
