82 
AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 
gummy substance among the leaves, resembling parchment. The per- 
fect moth comes out the following spring. It is said that there are 
two broods of these insects in a season, in the Southern States ; hut I 
have not observed the caterpillars on cotton later than September. 
The chrysalis is brown, and of a short, thick form, with a number 
of hooked bristles on the tail. 
The following is Dr. Harris’ description of the moths: “They sit 
with their wings closed and covering the body like a low roof, the front 
edge of the under-wings extending a little beyond that of the upper- 
wings and curving upwards. The sexes differ both in color and size ; 
the male, which is the smallest, is of a deepjor Indian-yellow color ; 
on its fore-wings there are two oblique, wavy lines towards the hind 
margin, a zigzag line near the base, and several spots so arranged 
on the middle as to form the letters a n, all of a purplish-red color. 
The hind-wings are broadly bordered with purplish-red, next to the 
body, and near the hinder margin there is a harrow curved band of the 
same color. Within this band, there is a curved, black line, and on 
the middle of the wing a large, round, blue spot, having a broad, 
black border and a central white dash. The fore-wings of the female 
are of a purplish-brown, mingled with grey; the zigzag and wavy 
lines across them are also grey, and the lettered space in the middle 
is replaced by a brown spot surrounded by an irregular grey line. 
The hind-wings resemble those of the male in color and markings ; 
the thorax and legs are purplish-brown, and the abdomen is ochrey 
yellow, with a narrow, purplish-red band on the edge of each wing. 
These moths expand from two inches and three-quarters to three 
inches and a half.” 
The only method that can be taken to -destroy these insects would 
be to kill the moths when and wherever found, and to strike the cater- 
pillars from the plants and then crush them under foot. Although they 
cannot properly be classed among the insects very injurious to cotton, 
not being sufficiently numerous to do much harm, yet, if left undis- 
turbed, they may so increase as to become a nuisance to the planter 
both of cotton and corn. 
THE COTTON TORTRIX. 
( Tortrix ?) 
When the margins of the leaf of the cotton-plant are found rolled 
up and fastened to the main part by means of a loose web of silk, it is 
often discovered to be the work of the small tortrix, (PI. VII fig. 
1 .,) which makes this shady retreat in order to shelter itself from the 
sun and rain, as likewise for a place of concealment from birds and 
other enemies. Sometimes, however, these leaves are similarly rolled 
up by a spider, as a suitable nest or receptacle for its eggs ; but, when 
this is the case, the inside will be found to contain a silken bag in 
which the eggs either have been or are about to be deposited. 
When disturbed, this caterpillar always retires into its place of 
shelter, and, if forcibly driven out, it is able to retreat backward from 
the open end, and to suspend itself in the air by a thread, which issues 
