OF WASHINGTON. 275 



application to the museum by the Minister of Agriculture or other 

 official. 



In conversation with the entomologists of the museum some 

 facts of more or less interest were collected relative to the appre 

 ciation of the subject of applied entomology in Austria, at least 

 from the standpoint of the systematic entomologists of the capital. 

 Of interest to us is the gypsy-moth problem. The larvaB of this 

 insect are stated to be present every year, as are other forest cater 

 pillars, but never, or rarely, become especially abundant. No faith 

 was had in the theory that this insect is controlled or kept in check 

 to any considerable extent by large predaceous beetles, such as 

 the Calosomas, for the simple reason that the infested districts are 

 too rare or remain infested for too short a time for any extraordi 

 nary multiplication of predaceous enemies. In other words, the 

 gypsy-moth takes a position in Austria, and this seems to hold 

 good for Europe generally, with the other common leaf-eating 

 species, and occasionally is destructive over larger or smaller 

 areas, disappearing after a year or two, and perhaps not returning 

 for many years. The same succession of periods of insect damage 

 of various sorts occurs there as here, and they also find, as here, 

 that newly imported insects are especially destructive for a few 

 years, and then subside into a condition similar to that character 

 izing the insects indigenous to the country. This is true of the 

 Phylloxera, which at first caused excitement and alarm, but is 

 now much less feared than formerly, and, in fact, is under very 

 satisfactory control. The little faith manifested in insect-lime 

 has already been commented upon. 



Applied entomology receives considerable attention in Austria, 

 however, in the agricultural, and particularly the forestry, schools, 

 and especially at the Forestry Institute at Mariabrunn, near Vienna. 

 The forest insect of perhaps greatest importance is the "Nonne" 

 (Psilura monacha) , which is the cause, at times, of most serious 

 damage to the forests of Coniferae of the Empire. Opportunity 

 did not, however, offer to see any districts where this insect was 

 abundant. 



Among the other students of insects in Vienna, the writer had 

 a very pleasant experience with Professor Josef Mik, the well- 

 known dipterologist Professor Mik has charge of the instruction 

 in natural history at the Akademischen Gymnasium, of Vienna, 



