1908.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT- -No. 73. 197 



now engaged jointly by California and West Australia, assume the 

 undertaking. Mr. Cooper probably felt, and may still feel, that Mr. 

 Compere is better fitted than any other man in or out of America for 

 such a task, and he doubtless made the offer in full sincerity and be- 

 lieving that its acceptance would be in the best interest of Massachu- 

 setts; yet all who have studied the gypsy and brown-tail moth position 

 in America and abroad, and have much knowledge of Mr. Compere 

 and the work he has done, must realize that the nonacceptance was for- 

 tunate. Mr. Compere's extensive experience in searching for natural 

 enemies of various insects would not be of much value if applied to the 

 problem of suppressing these caterpillar pests. It is not as if the 

 original home was unknown, and as if a single species of parasites 

 from there was thought likely to prove capable of suppressing the host. 

 The gypsy and brown-tail moths are known to be indigenous in Europe, 

 and both were studied there by entomologists long before they reached 

 America. It has been found that numerous species of parasites of 

 several distinct groups attack them; and, as there is no way to deter- 

 mine which of these enemies is most effective without extensive rearing 

 work, and as in all probability several species together will answer the 

 purpose better than any one alone, it is certainly advisable to try to 

 get all that seemed promising, as is being done. Under Dr. Howard's 

 organization, presumably parasitized specimens in large numbers are 

 obtained from widely separated parts of Europe through the aid of 

 many expert collectors resident in and familiar with the districts in 

 which they work. This plan is incomparably superior to having Mr. 

 Compere collect alone, however excellent a collector he may be; and, 

 no matter who collects, reliable experts are required in America to rear 

 out and breed the parasites, and to see that no injurious insects are 

 incidentally introduced. It may be contended that Mr. Compere, be- 

 cause of his lengthy experience at collecting in foreign countries, should 

 be better qualified to organize and supervise a collecting force abroad 

 than Dr. Howard, whose chief work for some years has been in an 

 office at Washington ; but any one who knows both men would not for 

 an instant doubt Dr. Howard's vast superiority in this field, even irre- 

 spective of the considerations discussed in foregoing paragraphs. 

 Ability to impress foreign entomologists favorably seems an essential 

 factor for satisfactory progress, and such ability involves a high 

 degree of education, scientific standing, tact and judgment. I make 

 these remarks because there seems a chance that well-meaning but ill- 

 informed parties may yet insist that he be engaged for the work, and 

 thus occasion a needless flood of discussion and perhaps costly delay 

 in getting an appropriation to continue with the scheme as now ar- 

 ranged. Mr. Compere has many qualifications for obtaining natural I/'/ 

 enemies. He has had a unique experience in transporting insects on 

 long journeys, is a good collector, a tireless and industrious worker in 

 the field and a keen natural-enemy enthusiast. His unbounded faith 



