THE BROWN-TAIL MOTH. 33 



Mrs. J. A. Chabot, 15 Park Street, Soinerville, states : — 



We were all badly poisoned by the caterpillars. We could not 

 go into the yard without getting the irritation on the neck and 

 arms, although we covered ourselves up as well as we could, in 

 order to escape them. The man who took care of the yard was 

 badly poisoned. Only a few caterpillars got into the house, but T 

 suppose they came in on our clothing. This spring, when putting 

 the screens on the windows, I noticed some of the cocoons on the 

 clapboards, and scraped them off. As a result, my neck became 

 badly poisoned. 



Nicholas Fleming, corner of Kent and Beacon streets, 

 Somerville, says : — 



The poisoning by the caterpillars was truly dreadful. Every 

 time we went into the yard we had to protect ourselves about the 

 neck and head, to keep them off. 



Mr. C. E. Kenniston, 1 7 Park Street, Somerville, writes : — 



Both myself and family were greatly troubled by the sting or 

 bite of these caterpillars. It seemed as if they poisoned us when- 

 ever we went near one of them. The webs made by the insects 

 seemed to be poisonous. We had an awful time with them, and 

 my sou's face and hands were so badly puffed up that he had to 

 call in a doctor. 



Mrs. W. I. Chase, 85 Vine Street, Somerville, a most in- 

 telligent observer of the habits of the moth, states:— • 



In 1897 the caterpillars poisoned us terribly, and even now, 

 when we go out and sweep down the sides of the house where the 

 cocoons are, we get poisoned in the same way. While putting a 

 new roof on the house my husband was nearly wild from the pain, 

 and my neighbors tell me that every time they wash their windows 

 they are poisoned. 



Mrs. J. A. Kincaid, 88 Vine Street, Somerville, says: — 



Our whole family was badly poisoned Ity tiie cateri)illars. It 

 took us all summer to get rid of the poison. Even now (October, 

 1898), when we get overheated tlie poison breaks out again on 

 our bodies. One of my neighbors was so unfortunate as to get 

 poisoned in one of her eyes, and had a hard time. 



