Prof. J. B. SMITH had collected many egg-masses and found none that were parasitized. In the southern part of the State of New Jersey there were two broods of the insect in the year, but in the northern part only one. The city of Newark is situated on the dividing line between the life-zones, and consequently there are two broods in part of the city and only one in the rest. Ten cents per quart was paid for egg-masses collected, but he considered spraying with Paris green a much cheaper method of destruction, as it only cost about ten cents per tree, while egg-collecting came to $2.50 when the attack was severe. The egg-masses he found to contain an average of 200 eggs.

Dr. FLETCHER, in reply to a question as to whether spraying should be discontinued in order to avoid killing the parasites as well as the noxious insects, stated that it was much safer to spray and be sure of killing the enemy, especially as there was no certainty regarding the work of the parasites. In answer to a further question, Does spraying kill internal parasites? he replied, Yes, if it destroys the insect which supplies its parasite with food. On one occasion he had found a number of parasites in egg-masses on trees at the corner of King and Simcoe streets, Toronto.

In remarking upon Dr. Bethune's paper, he stated that the Codling Moth was one-brooded from Toronto eastward and two-brooded westward. At Ottawa, where there is but one brood, spraying in the spring is sufficient for its control, but at London the conditions are quite different. For the Cottony Maple Scale he recommended treatment of the trees in winter with the lime and sulphur wash. White-grubs in lawns may be checked by freely spraying the affected portions with kerosene emulsion and then washing with water. Click-beetles, the parents of Wire-worms, are attracted in large numbers to the bait used at night in sugaring for moths, and might be largely destroyed by this means. It was remarkable that the twelve-spotted Asparagus beetle should have outstripped the other species in its advance westward through Ontario; the latter (C. Asparagi) was spreading very slowly. The Pea-weevil is at present somewhat scarce and therefore now is the time for a successful fight against it. The growers of peas should not pay five times too much for their seed, because peas infested with weevils only contain one-fifth of their proper contents. The seedsmen are now fumigating their peas, because their customers demand seeds that have been treated with bi-sulphide of carbon,--the method is very simple and should be universally adopted.

Mr. C. W. NASH said that peas should be treated at once after they are harvested, because a large proportion of the weevils emerge from the peas early in October and thus escape fumigation, if it is postponed to a later date. They may be found in immense numbers in barns where peas have been stored.

Prof. J. B. SMITH asked whether the White-grubs referred to by Dr. Bethune were hairy or smooth. On being told that they were smooth and the larvæ of May-beetles (Lachnosterna), he said that at Washington a few years ago a lawn was so badly affected by White-grubs, which ate the roots of the grass, that the turf could be rolled up like a carpet; there the grubs were hairy and the larvæ of Allorhina nitida (a beetle which does not occur in Ontario).

In New Jersey they had had a similar experience to that in London with the Cottony Maple Scale,-the city of Plainfield last year was the worst affected and the numbers were similar to those described by Dr. Bethune. The large wintering scales of the female he had found abundantly parasitized. Lady-bird beetle (Hyperaspis) was very numerous and attacked the scales,

A

while its larvæ devoured the eggs in the cottony masses. The parasites became more and more abundant as the season went on, and he had every confidence that there would be little or no trouble from this insect at Plainfield next year. His count of scales was similar, having found from 500 to 800 on a single leaf. Insecticides of various kinds had been tried, but he could find nothing that would kill the insects and not injure the foliage. He had, therefore, resorted to water from the city mains, and found that with a hose the eggs could be washed off the trees if applied when the cottony masses are opening early in May. This is a simple, easy and inexpensive remedy, and one that is ready at hand for every one who has a lawn and hose for watering it. If the scales are higher up than their usual position on the lower branches they can usually be reached with the assistance of a step-ladder.

Mr. C. W. NASH spoke of the damage done to asters and dahlias by the Tarnished Plant-bug (Lygus pratensis) and the trouble it gave to florists in Toronto; dusting with Pyrethrum insect powder was recommended as a remedy. He also referred to the prevalence of Hydrœcias (Gortyna) this year; ne had found them boring into the roots and stalks of rhubarb, dahlias, Rudbeckia, burdock and in fact all plants that were capable of holding them; two species, Gortyna nitela and cataphracta, were especially abundant.

Dr. FLETCHER drew attention to the good work being done by Mr. H. H. Lyman and other entomologists in Montreal in breeding and tracing out the life-histories of these moths. G. nitela was of use, as it destroys large numbers of Canada thistles and rag-weed.

THE "TUSSOCKS."

BY THE REV. THOMAS W. FYLES, D.C.L., F.L.S.

The common application "Tussock Moths," as applied to the perfect insects of the species Orgyia antiqua, Linneus, and Orgyia leucostigma, Smith and Abbot; (Fig. 7), is a misnomer. It is to the caterpillars of these species that the name "Tussock" is properly applied-they are conspicuously tussocky, or tufted, along the back, (Fig. 4). The generic name Notolophus given to these insects by Germar signifies this:-Notos-the back; Lophos-a crest. The male perfect insects of the two kinds have been very appropriately called "Vapourers," because of their airy and uncertain flight. They are known respectively as the "Brown Vapourer" and the "Grey Vapourer." The females of both species are incapable of flight, having only rudimentary wings.

The Greek generic name Orgyia was probably given because of the outstretched black pencils extending like arms from the shoulders of the larva. The feminine specific name, antiqua, from the Latin, appropriately denotes the grey and hunched form of the female moth. Linneus was often fanciful in his application of names!

The term leucostigma was given by Smith and Abbot to the Grey Vapourer on account of its white spots, (Fig. 3e); though the spots on Antiqua are more conspicuous than they, because of their darker setting.

The genus Orgyia belongs to the family Liparide which, in England, includes some very handsome, and also some very troublesome species. Psilura monacha, the "Black Arches," is a remarkably beautiful moth. Porthetria dispar, the "Gypsy Moth," is handsome, but its larvæ are destructive; whilst the larvae of Europroctis chrysorrhoea, the "Brown-Moth"

are offensive, not only from their destructiveness, but also from the fact that their barbed hairs are easily cast, and, alighting on the human skin, work their way into its pores, and cause excessive irritation. In my early efforts at raising insects, in England, I again and again experienced the baneful effects of too close contact with these caterpillars.

The story of the introduction of the Brown-tail and Gypsy Moths to Massachusetts has been well told in the publications of Messrs. Fernald and Kirkland and Forbush; and so the evil reputation of these species has been widely spread. People in Canada have looked for their advent with apprehension. It is not to be wondered at, therefore, that when the egg-masses of an allied, but less injurious, species became conspicuous, to expectant eyes, something like a panic occurred-it was thought that the dreadful Gypsy Moth was come.

Fig. 7. Tussock moth: a caterpillar; b and c chrysalids; d and e male moths; ƒ and g female moths; h eggs; i male cocoons; k female moths and egg-masses on cocoons.

I have known both the Brown Vapourer and the Grey for many years. The former, indeed, attracted my attention soon after my arrival in Canada; for it was to me an old acquaintance. Both species are common at Quebec. Leucostigma has been plentiful here for some years past-it has never done noteworthy damage. Its favourite food here is the White Willow (Salixalba, Linneus); and patches of its eggs may at this present time (October, 1905), be seen on the bolls of the willows in the Custom House Square, and along Mountain Hill.

I have always regarded the larvæ of Antiqua and Leucostigma as harmless and very beautiful objects-creatures to be admired. I certainly read with amused surprise the following paragraph in the "Montreal Daily Star" of July 22nd last:

"It is now beyond question that in addition to the caterpillars being very destructive to vegetation, they are also poisonous to human beings. They can let themselves down from a tree by means of a silken thread, similar to that made by the spider. They seem especially to like to get down the back of one's neck, and they certainly do some painful work there."

What a thick skin a man must have who could let a caterpillar alight on his neck, and not brush it off immediately!

Still further to alarm the public, and to show "that our troubles have hardly commenced yet," the writer in the "Star" proceeds to describe the ravages of the Gypsy Moth in Massachusetts, and re-produces some of the illustrations from Forbush and Fernald's Report. There is a representation of the Dexter Elm with ten men engaged in freeing it from the eggs of the moth.

There, too, is a picture of the destroying of the eggs in a stone wall by means of cyclone burner.

Both of these are likely to excite apprehension, but are hardly fair to the Tussocks, who were not the guilty parties in the case. "Give a dog a

bad name and hang him!"

We remember the "Kissing Bug Scare," in which kissing-bugs multiplied to such an extent that it was hard to believe that any damsel could go unkissed.

In this Tussock Moth Scare, whatever damage has been done to trees, the Tussocks-in popular opinion-have been the doers of it. One man told that the gooseberry bushes in the gardens near him had been defoliated -of course the Tussocks had done the harm, and not Eufitchia ribearia, nor Nematus ventricosus. The larvæ of Vanessa Antiopa, Clisiocampa disstria, Hibernia tiliaria, Hyphantria textor, and others, always do their share towards denuding the trees; but for injuries done by these the Tussocks are now held blame-worthy.

To show how easily a mistake might arise:-A person at Quebec, on the look-out for damage by the Tussocks, would notice that the Ash-trees, which formerly were such graceful adornments to the public squares and gardens of the city, were leafless, dead, or dying. "Oh," he would be likely to exclaim, "the terrible Tussock Moths!" But the Tussocks were entirely blameless in this case. My attention was directed to the trees, in the spring of 1904, by Mr. Joly de Lotbinière. and could find no trace of injurious insects. the death of so many of these beautiful trees sive drought of the preceding spring.

I examined them carefully, I came to the conclusion that was occasioned by the exces

I had recorded that on the 11th of April, 1903, and again on the 12th, the thermometer in my yard indicated 82 degrees in the shade. The untimely heat was followed by a long, cold, and exceedingly dry time. Prayers for rain were offered in some of our churches.

In the end of May and beginning of June, the air was thick with smoke from forest fires. On the 3rd of June the smoke was so dense that the river steamboat "Frontenac" was unable to run.

I am convinced that the young foliage of the ash trees was so affected by these circumstances that it performed its functions imperfectly. Then, too, the earth was so parched that the roots of the trees must have failed

to extract nutriment from it-the Ash is a tree that requires much moisture! The unfavourable summer was followed by a very severe winter.

To these consecutive circumstances I ascribe the loss of so many of our Ash trees, and not to insect depredations.*

The two Canadian species of Orgyia may be easily distinguished in every stage of their existence.

The eggs of Antiqua resemble a cluster of whitey-brown beads; those of Leucostigma to a dab of cake-frosting.

one.

The larva of Antiqua has a black head; that of Leucostigma has a red

The difference in the moths has already been sufficiently shown.

It is impossible that the Tussocks can ever be as destructive as the Gypsy Moth has proved itself. Their females have no wings-they lay their eggs on the cocoons from which they crept. So the advance of the species is slow, and is made by the caterpillars. But the female Gypsy Moth has ample wings; and, though it is heavy with its burden of eggs, it can, and does, take flight for other localities. Its caterpillar, moreover, attains a much greater size, and is more voracious than either of our Tussock larvæ.

The close of the autumn is undoubtedly the season for reducing the numbers of Orgyia antiqua and Orgyia leucostigma. The egg-clusters of both species may be easily peeled from the trees with the thumb and finger. They should then be thrown into the fire. So the numbers of the creatures

can be kept down with ease and without cruelty.

THE TUSSOCK MOTH SITUATION IN MONTREAL.

BY HENRY H. LYMAN, M.A., MONTREAL, QUE.

Until Montreal was visited early last spring by a gentleman from Lincoln Park, Chicago, we hardly knew that we had a Tussock Moth situation in our city. Those of us who know about such things, of course, knew that we had the Tussock Moth, that, like the poor, it was always with us and always likely to be with us. But this gentleman, seeing a good many egg masses on trees, sounded the alarm, and addressed a letter of warning to the President of the Natural History Society, who happened to be a Professor of Botany.

The newspapers took the matter up, and one especially devoted much space and energy to a sensational account of the "arrival" of this much dreaded pest, and, evidently confusing it with the Gypsy Moth, told of the millions which had been spent in the United States in fighting it.

A meeting of the Natural History Society was called to consider the situation, to which the public were invited, and about twenty, all told, responded the Dominion Entomologist being present to throw light on the subject.

After considerable discussion, a Tussock Moth Committee was appointed which later waited upon the Finance Committee and asked for a grant to be used in fighting the pest. The Committee voted the munificent sum of $100 for this purpose. The Society then offered a bounty of 25c. per hundred for the egg masses (Fig. 7k), and the school children began to collect them, and much good was anticipated, as the amount voted would have paid bounties The trees were cut down this fall (1905). The wood was found to be perfectly soundquite free from borers.