ini' (iVl'SV AND BROWN-TAIL MOTHS. [Jan. 



This shows conclusively that iu the case of this single bird, 

 since the body had no evidence of other injuries, death was 

 probably caused by feeding upon caterpillars which had con- 

 sumed >praycd foliage. The fact that tin- lead was found in 

 much greater quantities than the arsenic is readily explained 

 by the fact that arsenic, being a soluble substance, is rapidly 

 eliminated from the system; while the lead after decomposition 

 in the stomach becomes practically insoluble, and its elimination 

 is a very slow process. 



\Ve have given quite fully the facts bearing upon this par- 

 ticular case, because of its great scientific interest. \Ve are not 

 disposed to consider it of any great economic importance, al- 

 though it must be a source of regret to all nature lovers that the 

 very necessary spraying operations should cause the death of 

 i- veil a single beneficial bird. That such occurrences are not 

 common is apparent from the fact that this is the only case 

 reported by the field employees, whose numbers run above one 

 thousand in each spraying season, and whose work daily in- 

 cludes the examination of hundreds of infested orchards and 

 woodland i\rc;(< where spraying has been done. Furthermore, 

 were the k i 1 1 i ng of insect i \ on >us birds in t his way of even notice- 

 able proportions, it is an open question if the iryp-y moth cat- 

 erpillars, by destroying the foliage of woodlands ami orchards 

 in sections where no spraying was done, and thus exposing the 

 young nestling birds to the hot rays of the sun and causing the 

 old birds to forsake their nests, do not cause a much greater 

 injury to bird life than any of the spraying operation- made to 

 date. 



1 ' \.\..u;<>i g BAND] \>. .M \TI:I;IALS. 



The general practice of handing trees which have been cleared 

 of gypsy moth e^i;- or brown-tail moth webs, in order to prevent 

 th'-ir reinfe.-tation during the caterpillar season, has nalurallv 

 made a con-i, In-able demand for sticky handing materials. The 



relatively lii-h price of certain of the-e proprietary substances 



lia- in. I: ice. | ceriain manufacturers to enter the market from time 

 to time with cheaper substitutes, who.-e usefulness in slopping 

 caterpillar.- and who-e eH'ecl on the trees has not been fnllv 



d. A.8 nii-hi be supposed, many of these materials, al- 



