L86 GYPSY AND P.IK ) \\.\-T AIL MOTHS. [Jan. 



were under many natural checks. Transported across the sea, 

 freed from all natural restraints on their multiplication, they 

 had increased to greater numbers and caused greater damage 

 ih:m had been known in the old world. Hence the logical thing 

 to do under the circumstances, in addition to remedial measures 

 to stop the damage by, and check the spread of, the insect, 

 seemed to be to bring to Massachusetts as many as possible of the 

 foreign natural enemies of the moths in the shortest possible 

 time. This view, strongly presented to the Legislatures of 

 1903-05 by many intelligent and public-spirited citizens, finally 

 resulted, in the latter year, along with the resumption of the 

 work against the moth, in a special appropriation for the pur- 

 pose of introducing the European natural enemies of the moths. 

 At the same time the Massachusetts delegation in the Xational 

 Congress, particularly the Hon. Ernest W. Roberts of the Sev- 

 enth District, were endeavoring to obtain national aid in solv- 

 ing this great problem, since it was realized by all who were 

 familiar with the ravages of the moths in Massachusetts and 

 the cost of combating them that could they be held in check by 

 their imported natural enemies, such a state of affairs would 

 scarcely fall short of being ideal. The National Congress finally 

 appropriated the small sum of $2,500 for this work, and this 

 was soon followed by the more liberal action of the Massachu- 

 setts Legislature, which appropriated (May 8, 1005) for the 

 same purpose $30,000, to be expended as needed over a period 

 of three years. 



When the present superintendent was appointed, with this 

 lanre sum of money at his disposal for this special work, he 

 fully felt the responsibilities as well as the importunities of the 

 occasion. Nothing of the kind had ever been attempted before 

 in the world. True, indeed, two imported M -ale insects in Cali- 

 fornia had been notably cheeked in their increase by the im- 

 portation of parasites from their native region; but each of 

 the-e insectfl had a x/x'rl/ir parasite. The ca-e of the gypsy 

 and brown-tail moths is altop.iliei- difVerent. There is no *}><- 

 parasite of either of these insects. Their multiplication is 

 cheeked by a 1 a 1-ij-e number of parasites, many of which ap- 

 parently may !,< ,,f equal value. It seem,.,] desirable, in fact 

 absolutely necessary, that this unique and important experi- 



