6 THE BROW X-T AIL MOTH. 



how many croi).s it will attack with severity, or how far it 

 will spread. 



In the present report we have attempted to give a plain 

 statement of what is known of the habits of this most inju- 

 rious and annoying insect, with remedies best suited for its 

 destruction. "While the authors have collaborated throuah- 

 out the entire work, the parts pertaining to the European 

 history and the biology of the moth have been largely pre- 

 pared by Professor Fernald, while the history of the moth 

 in Massachusetts and the chapter on remedies have received 

 special attention from Mr. Kirkland. A large part of the 

 experiments on the moth, and nearly all the field observa- 

 tions on its habits, were made by us under the direction of 

 the gypsy moth committee in 18l)7-t)!» ; and to this com- 

 mittee, whose faithful labors have been of such sio-nal value 

 to the State, we are specially indebted for many favors in 

 connection with this re})ort. 



Discovery of the Moth. 



In the spring of 1897 several residents of Somerville and 

 Cambridge, ]\Iass., found a strange caterpillar feeding on 

 the unfolding leaves of pear trees. Api)arently the insects 

 came from small, tough webs at the tips of the twigs, i)ar- 

 ticularly at the to})s of the trees. They worked downwai'd, 

 consuming the foliage as they moved, and duil}' grew in 

 size. By the time the foliage was two-thirds developed, the 

 naked tree tops tipped with the gTay abandoned webs were 

 conspicuous objects in (he infested district. The outbreak 

 at that time was not Avidespread, but several thrifty ])ro})- 

 erty owners noticed with alarm the inroads the insects were 

 daily making on the trees. AVhen the damage by these 

 insects was first observed, the campaign against the gypsy 

 moth was l)eing prosecuted vigorously under the auspices 

 of the State Board of Agriculture : and the ofiicc of thv 

 gypsy moth connnittee at jNIalden naturally was regarded 

 as an information bureau on all matters i)ertaining to insect 

 depredations. Damage by the gypsy moth was well known, 

 and dreaded correspondingly. Propert}' owners finding new 

 or strange insects on trees or crops free [uently mistook them 



