174 GYPSY AM) r,lxO\YN-TAIL .MOTHS. [Jim. 



brown-tail ninth it was early found most difficult to preserve the health 

 ci' the laboratory assistants. The irritating and poisonous hairs of the 

 brown-tail moth larva', of which the nests are full, soon penetrated 

 tin- skin of the assistants handling them, entered their eyes and throats, 

 ami the atmosphere of the laboratory became almost filled with them. 

 It was necessary that the rooms should be kept thoroughly closed; 

 double windows and screens were used, and the doors of the rooms were 

 darkened, in order that a possible secondary 7 parasite, if accidentally 

 liberated, should have no chance of escape. This made the rooms very 

 warm, and increased the irritating effect of the larval hairs. Some of 

 the assistants employed could not stand the work, and resigned. One 

 of the best and most experienced helpers was induced to continue the 

 proent year only upon the promise that he would be relieved from this 

 especial class of work. Spectacles, gloves, masks and even head-pi' 

 \\cre invented to avoid this difficulty, but these, while greatly increasing 

 the suffering from the heat, were not entirely effective. The most 

 serious result of this trouble was the breaking down in health of Mr. 

 I-".. S. G. Titus of this Bureau, in charge of the laboratory at Sau-us, 

 who was obliged to resign in May, 1!M)7. on his physician's advice, in 

 order to save his life. The difficulty in Mr. Titus's case was the intcn-e 

 irritation to his lungs from the entrance of the barbed hail's. Mr. W. 

 F. Fiske of the Bureau force in "Washington, a man who had made 

 especial studies of the parasitic HynHMiuph'ra, and who had done a 

 la rue amount of breeding of parasites in the course of his other work, 

 was sent from Washington to replace Mr. Titus, and has since had 

 charge of the laboratory. Since then new methods of handling the 

 brown-tail moth nests have been invented, and it seems reasonably sure 

 that this difficulty will be measurably obviated in the future. 



I visited Europe auain during May and June, 1907, and engaged new 

 voluntary assistants among European entomologists, and succeeded in 

 .lilishing a very effective corps of observers in Russia, a country 

 which has not before been called upon. At Kiew a very effective 

 station was established, under the supervision of Prof. Waldemar Pos- 

 pielow, who voluntarily gave his important services without compen- 

 sation. An orchard in the suburbs of the city was rented for the 

 OB at '_'() rubles per month, and a well-trained assistant, to ha\e 

 chai-je c,|' reai-inus and collections, was engaged at .'11 rubles per month. 

 The results, as evidenced by shipments from this locality, have been 

 'lent. Two species hitherto unknown as parasites of the uypsy moth 

 have been reared, and one of them, being a rapid breeder, promises to 

 be "f much assistance. l'Y,.m Kiew ! proceeded to Kisdiinew via 

 Odessa, and -tailed work under Mr. Tsaack Krassilstschik, chief of the 

 entomological station at that point, and lie ads for the State of M:< 

 chuselts without compensation, sending in through the summer a num- 

 ber of important shipments. Ret urnim: to Odessa, and proceeding 

 thence i,, Simferopol in the Crimea. I spent two days with Prof. Sigis- 



