THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 267 



BOOK NOTICES. 



The Gypsy Moth. — A report of the work of destroying the insect in 

 the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, together with an account of its 

 history and habits both m Massachusetts and Europe. By E. H. 

 Forbush and C. H. Fernald. 

 This report, a handsome volume of nearly 600 pages, well printed 

 and most copiously illustrated with chromolithographs, photogravures, and 

 wood cuts, gives a full account of the introduction of the now notorious 

 " Gypsy moth " into America by Leopold Trouvelot in 1868 or 1869, 

 traces its history, and records the efforts which have been made to exter- 

 minate it by the State of Massachusetts up to the end of 1895. The 

 spread of this insect for the first ten years was remarkably slow, in the 

 light of what we now know of its capabilities for harm. During that 

 period it was not noticed by anyone but the introducer. The first exten- 

 sive outbreak was in 1889, t)ut for ten years before that it had given great 

 annoyance to the people living in the part of the town of Medford where 

 it was first introduced. It had also spread and had gained a foothold in 

 thirty townships without attracting public attention. Since that time its 

 history is well known. In 1890 the first Gypsy Moth Commission was 

 appointed and the work of fighting the pest was inaugurated. In Febru- 

 ary of the next year this commission was removed and another one 

 substituted. On 12th of March, Mr. E. H. Forbush. the present very etili- 

 cient Director of Field Work, was appointed, and on i8th June Prof. C. H. 

 Fernald began his labours as Entomological Advisor. Since that time the 

 work has been pushed on with great energy, and the present valuable 

 report is an outcome of the combined efforts of a practical, energetic 

 manager and a careful scientific entomologist. The two parts of this 

 report, prepared by the above-named officers, are quite distinct and form 

 together a very complete treatise, not only upon the Gypsy moth, but upon 

 the general principles which it is necessary to study when combatting any 

 injurious insect. This carefully-prepared report, therefore, cannot but be 

 for a long time an indispensable book of reference for economic ento- 

 mologists. 



There are in this volume many things which will attract the attention 

 of entomologists. Indeed, it is so full and there are so many different 

 subjects treated of, that even to give the titles would take more space 

 than is at my disposal. The first thing which will be noticed is the adop- 

 tion of the generic name Porthetria. Articles of particular note deal with 



