the leaf and seldom on the outer edge, and being of a pale green color, are hard to detect without special examination. They feed and undergo several moultings, change color somewhat, the dorsal and latteral stripes become more conspicuous; the thin scattered hairs and size distinguish these larvæ from those of another class of lepidoptera, hereafter mentioned. Those of the Pieris attain their full size in about three weeks, and attain an average length of one and a half inch. It is a remarkable observation made by Reaumur and others, that the form of the chrysalis and butterfly becomes developed in the catterpillar seven or eight days before it changes into the pupa. So that a caterpillar may be regarded as a locomotive egg, having its embryo, the included butterfly, gradually developing by assimulating to itself the animal substance, resulting in a transformation as marvelous as the fictions of Ovid's Metamorphoses.

The larva of the cabbage butter-fly, when about to assume the pupa state, seeks some nook, pailing, or place to retire to and affix its thread or girth. If a brick or stone is used to secure a base, it previously covers a space with a web of silk, to which to attach the ends of the loop or girth, after attaching itself by the hooks or webbing in of the anal pro-legs, or caudal extremity. It contracts the body, holds to the rough paling with its hooked pro-legs, and spins a thread, attaches the end to the paling and forming a curve, carries it to a point where it fastens it again, thus swaying to and fro it forms a loop like the letter U of, perhaps, a dozen threads. Then by doubling itself up and thrnsting the anterior portion of the body through the loop so formed, thus the bridle is made. The old skin then slouches off, and its old clothes are found in a bundle at the base. Next day, the fresh porous body exudes a white cream-like substance, which hardens and forms the parchment like chrysalis. Having been an eye witness to the above named procedure, I cut out the chip of the paling, when the insect had hung itself, and suspended it in a jar, placed it upon my office table for daily inspection, in about ten days the shell or chrysalis bursts, and the perfect butterfly will be born from the suspended caterpillar. Here we might moralize upon this and similar insect transformations. Kirby copies a lengthy poem found in a newspaper, the author unknown, the concluding verse reads:

"Go, mortal! in thy reptile state,
Enough to know to thee is given;
Go, and the joyful truth relate;

Frail child of earth! high heir of heaven!"

We will not stop to inquire why these wonderful changes should occur. I may be excused for relating my personal observation, when I state that Westwood follows other authors in describing the mode by which the bridle or girth is made. In the "Modern Classification of Insects, by J. O. Westwood, F. L. S., London, 1839; Volume II, page 336, it reads thus: "In the girt chrysalides, the caterpillars not only attach themselves by the tails, but also, by throwing the head from side to side, spin a number of threads across the middle of the body. The skin of the caterpiller then bursts, and is slouched off, the contraction of the body forcing it beneath the girth." I quote from good authority, and offer no comment. Harris also says: "Bending its head on one side, the caterpillar fastens to the surface, beneath the middle of the body, a silken thread, which it carries across its back and secures on the other side, and repeats this operation till the united threads have formed a band or loop of suflicient strength." This may mean the same thing-only, to carry each thread across the back, certainly differs from the case I witnessed. And, therefore, put it on record, perhaps the caterpillars have discovered a more handy method of doing the

thing. The evil done by these caterpillars, however great, it must not be overlooked that nature has provided a check to them by the numerous minute parasitic species of hymenoptera, or four winged flies, like the ichneumons and chalcidians, Figs. 23 and 24. Some of these lay their eggs into the larvæ and chrysalis, and when a dead or sickly caterpillar is found, having little pellets of a silky or cottony nature attached to them, let them alone, they will breed the parasite. So also with the brown colored chrysalids these are a nidus for a brood of from forty to sixty parasites, and should not be smashed; the altered color of the chrysalis tells the tale. These minute flies have long and hard names, a mere mention of which would add little to the main fact that they are useful to check the excess of the cabbage butterfly, aphids, &c., and their development should be promoted. And the various caterpillars found infesting the plant of whatever size or form, destroyed. Harris also mentions another small, cylindrical, pale green caterpillar that riddles the cabbage leaves-these wriggle and jerk like maggots, when disturbed, and drop by spinning a thread to let themselves down. The little moth is known as the cabbage moth, “Cerostoma Brassicella." There are, no doubt, two broods, having been detected as late as the middle of October. These spin gauze-like cocoons around the pupa or chrysalis, like net-work, which are but slightly attached to the leaf. These belong to the family Tineida, insects very variable, and forming an extensive series of minute lepidopterous insects. (Fig. 11, a, caterpillar; b, chrysalis; c, the thin cocoon that covers it; d, the perfect insect.)

Then, again, an insiduous foe is found to lurk in the soil, and works during the night, cutting off or destroying the young cabbage plants set out the day before, and doing great damage, If search is made, the author of this mischief may be found curled up, as seen in Fig. 12, within a few inches of the injured plant, under the soil. A smooth, greasy looking-customer, one of our common cut-worms-but a true caterpillar of a mothsuch as the mamestra brassicæ, and allied genera, and belong to the class usually on the wing in the dusk of the evening, and termed nocturnal. There are a number of species among those moths, known by their crests, like the Plusia, Agrotis, and their allies. Harris proposes the name of Agrotis devastator, for this naked caterpillar that feeds on cabbage and other succulent garden vegetables, (Fig. 14.) There is one other caterpillar described long ago by Doctor Melsheimer, as the "Zebra-catterpillar" which attains a lenght of nearly two inches by September, goes in the ground in October, and changes into a shining brown chrysalis, (Fig. 13,) and comes forth about the 1st of June-as it is also known to go into the ground in June, in Pennsylvania, and comes out about the 1st of July. There are evidently two broods. This is the painted Mamesta, Mamesta picta, and is of a light brown color, shaded with purple brown, having spots on the fore wings, with a third oval spot behind the round one, edged with gray, zigzag lines, the middle somewhat in the form of the letter W. This belongs to a different group of nocturnal insects from that known as the Owletmoths.

There seems to be a foe to the cabbage in another so called cut-worm of a smooth, hard, and rather thin and shining body, properly a wire-worm. Mr. J. B. Martin, Kingston, East Tennessee, May 27, 1870, sent the larvæ, so destructive in his garden, to the editore of Moore's Rural New Yorker. This was forwarded to me, and of which illustrations and an opinion given

as published in No. 1, VoL KAGRICULTURAL 2, 1870, (Fig. 14) & and b magnified portions 15 insect. figgy is that of a skip-jack or spring beetle, a close relation to the gelas Agricotes among the Elaterida. UNIVERSITY

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There larvæ have been detected in the roots. well known meal-worm order, coleoptera.

They greatly resemble the

It is worthy of notice that among the various families of insects, and even among those of a single genus, there are individuals whose habits are evil and injurious to vegetation or other animals. But, as with the parasites, while they are destructive to other mischievous insects, are of service. Thus it is, opposing forces from either side, seem requisite to propel an onward progress in the economy of nature.

For instance, among the Hemiptera or true bugs. One in connection with the cabbage plant deserves special notice.

My attention was called to this class by specimens I received from the editor of Moore's Rural New Yorker-for a name, which were sent to him by George D. Davis & Son, from Lynchburg, Virginia, under date of June 27, 1870. My report is published in that paper, in No. 5, volume XXII, July 30, 1870, page 79, with my illustrations.

Mr. Davis says, "these bugs are making fearful ravages in our gardens. Their depredations are confined more particularly to cabbage and kindred plants," (cruciferæ,) and asks: "What are they? And is there any means to exterminate them?" Although the insects sent me were alive and beautifully colored, they were yet only pupæ not fully matured. So that I could not reconcile it with the figures in the American Entomologist, page 79, for December and January, 1870. I copy their figures of the Harlequin cabbage bug, Fig. 16. wings closed and expanded, and that of the pupa. sent me, Fig. 17, I will copy my discription. "Head triangular, the eyes very prominent. There are two milk-white spots, centrally on the face, the antennæ four jointed, the second joint longest; the first and fourth shortest. The shape of the body and thorax is of a round oval form. The thorax has the sides of a deep yellow color, widening out posteriorly into a rounded base inwards. There is a small spot on the inner side of the margin above and below, and a large oborate spot on the center, also yellow. The meta thorax has three milk-white spots, the central obovate, elongated. There is also a yellow spot on each side on the lobe of the undeveloped wing; there are two lozenge-shaped yellow marks on the scutellun joined by a prolonged point on each. The abdomen has a submarginal horse-shoe shaped yellow band, traversed by irregularly curved white lines, and five of such lines appear out side the yellow marginal band, otherwise the insect is of a black color. This gray attire of spots would suggest the name of " Harlequin," applied to the Strachia histrionica of Hahn. It is interesting to notice, that Doctor Gideon Linçeum, of Washington county, Texas, in the year 1866, gives a graphic description of the ravages of a similar insect. Doctor Summer, of Salisbury, in North Carolina, again described it as the "Texan cabbage bug," found very injurious in 1867. Now, if that of Davis is the same, as I suspect, we find this Texian depredator like the Colorado "Potato beetle," (bug, usually called) coming further north and east. So with the cabbage-butterfly traveling south, year by year.

This "Harlequin cabbage bug," has not yet been detected in Pennsylvania, to my knowledge but it is well to know that it may reach us in another year, also, and run its course with the rest of the invaders. Here I might mention the canibal-bug-Reduvius personatus sir. Blood sucking cone-nose or big bed bug. Conorhinus sanguisuga, Lo conte, spined soldier bug, (Fig. 18.)-Arma spinosa, &c., as antagonistic, to other vegetable feeders, and like the insectiverous bird, and predaceous coleoptera and their larvæ, parasitic flies, etc., are friends to the gardener, and so far

Figs lla Larva b. chrysalis.c.cocoon dperfect insect of Cerostoma Brassicella.
Fig.12. Cut-worm Fig 13 Zebra cut-worm Fig14 Agrotis devastator.

Figs 14. Wire-worm a Magnified upper. b Lower terminal portions. Fig 15 Skip Jack Agriotis.

Fig.17

Figs 16

Fig.18

Fig.17 Pupa af a cabbage bug.

Figs16 Harlequin bug a wings spread. b.repose.

Fig.18. Spined soldier bug Arma spinosa.

Fig.19. Mildew Aphids on a cabbage leaf.

Fig 20 Magnified Fig 21 being inflated by parasite larva.

Fig. 22. Aphis Mali winged

Figs 23 &24. Character of the minute parasitic flies,magnified. Numerous species are known.

INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE CABBAGE PLANT.