The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1875-05-08
scum of Natural History, and a long

/ IPiAAiou SouCSIuJuS III Dy LIZ. -. a.
Llntner addressed TO Mr.. Friend, is pub
lished in the Albany Times. DR.. Lint.
ner says the worm "bore so strong a
resemblance to the Gordius, or hair
worm, as it is ordinarily called that on
its presentation by you [ unhesitatingly
! (but enormously referred 1t to that
genius" He gives detailed history of
the Gordius, whose place IS generally in
water But this new parasite is differ
cut. Before deciding as to its charac-
ter. DR.. Lintner consulted DIR. Leidy,
of Philadelphia, who has made a
special study of Entozoa. Having ex
amined it, he returns the following very
interesting information: THE worm is
a species of Mermis, a parasite of the
Cdrpocapsa pOnaOneIia, or larva of cod
ling moth or apple-worm, which &C
counts for It's presence in the apple it
self. similar specimen was referred
to me short time since, for an account
OF which see the next or forthcoming
number Of the Proceedings of the Acad-
envy OF Natural Sciences Ph1la-
delphial.
nierm4s is genius closely allied to
Gordius. Leidy states that he has
frequently seen specimens of it, which
he calls " the white hair worm, within
| insects III one instance crawling out of
a Caroline grasshopperwhi are strug
CLING in a ditch. Siebold describes
Mern2iS GkbicaaS of Europe two to five
inches long OF a whitish color as
parasitic on the drones of the honey
bee.
This new phase of parasitism of the
Mermis upon a caterpillar living within
the apple, as its core, and often IN its
younger stage within the seeds, is so
remarkable and interesting anannounce-
ment, that we shall anxiously await the
publication of the promised paper, for
the explanation of much that seems
mysterious to us. In what manner, and
at what time does the Mermis effect
its entrance III the body Of the Carpo-
copsa apple-worm -? The eggs of the
apple-moth are deposited on the bios
som end of the apple, where the skin is
the thinnest at various periods during
the summer months. Matching within
/ a week, the young caterpillar passes
directly into the apple, eating its chan
mel as 1t proceeds toward the core
Here it remains until it has completed
its growth, when 1t energies from the
apple and crawls down the branches or
lowers itself to the ground by its thread,
10 seek some safe place of shelter
in which to construct its cocoon. At
this time land even duringits subsequent
hybernatiOn in its larval form within It's
cocoon, it is exposed to parasitic attack,
but this cannot he the period of the
entrance of the Mermis, for the presence
within the apple indicates its previous
+ 81 IN IA
have taken possession of the worm
while the apple was attached to the tree,
for its structure would not admit of its
ascending the trunk and branches of the
tree. Should a wonderful instinct lead
1t TO seek its prey through the closely
packed excremental matter filling the
wOrmhOles of the windfalls living on
the ground, then the worm IL its exit
from the fruit, usually very soon after
the apple falls, would carry its guest
away with it, instead of leaving it be-
hind, to excite our wonder and, per
haps alarm several months thereafter.
Damp cellars would seem to be an APP
propriate habitat for the Mermis, but
its abode within the stored apples would
naturally be more brief in this case than
in the preceding, the latest worms at
their maturity. Without the labor of
penetrating the apple, its prey could
much more conveniently be found in
the unchanged larvae hidden often in
immense numbers between the boards
of the apple bins, or beneath the barrel
hoops, within a cocoon too Slight to Of
fer any material resistance to the en-
trance of SO thread-like an organism.
- l. Il. i
history of the interesting animal, it
will be of service, if as full statements
as possible be obtained of the condi-
tions under which it has occurred in
each instance IN Orange county the
present seasOn-the first knowledge we
have OF its presence in the apple, or
any other fruit. Was it found invari-
ably III worm-eaten apples; and if SO,
had the fruit been much or little eaten
Were any living apple-worms seen in
the apples eaten during the winter
/ Where and in what manner were the
apples stored in which the mermis wss
present? Can it be ascertained if the
infested apples were hand picked or
/ wind falls.
The detection of the mermis in the
apple, IN few Instances, recently, need
not, we think, Occasi III alarm. 1t is
possible that III eating an uncooked APP
pie without Tie proper mastication,
living mermis might be introduced in
the stomach, for of the gordius Ga
closely allied genus as above stated)
Leidy says: 1T is perhaps the hard
est or most resistant to the feel of any
of the order, and it is tough and elastic
1t is very tenacious of life, and when
cut into several pieces viii continue to
live and move for some time after
wards" But should it escape the
ordeal of the teeth and pass uninjured
into the stomach, there is reason to be-
heve that the action of the gastric juice
and other conditions to which it would
be there subjected would deprive it of
life before it could be passed into the
intestines or penetrate the iDteguments
Of the body.
Household Matters.
! ENGLISH COOKIES. -One cup of brown
( Surar half n rIlO buttpr one 600 two