THK BKUWxN-TAlL MOTH. 51 



tail moth do not ditier materially from those of the jrypsy 

 moth, and its distribution by teams is doubtless of frequent 

 occurrence. 



Several eastern Massachusetts nurseries are more or less 

 infested by the brown-tail moth, and there is constant dan- 

 ger that a small caterpillar web may be sent out with trees 

 to some distant locality, and there establish a moth colony. 

 This matter is one that has received special attention from 

 the efficient State Inspector of Nurseries, Dr. H. T. Fernald ; 

 while the proprietors of infested nurseries are taking every 

 precaution to insure the destruction of moths on their 

 grounds and prevent its spread elsewhere. 



At the present writing the moth is known to occur in 

 Massachusetts at Scituate on the south, westward to Brock- 

 ton, Hudson and Stow, northward to iMethuen and eastward 

 to the sea. The occurrences at Kitterj^, Me., and St. John, 

 N. B., have been mentioned. South-eastern New Hami)shire 

 is also generally infested, and we fear in the course of a few 

 decades the pest will have found its way over the greater 

 part of New England. The neglect of a moth colony on an 

 infested estate results in the si)reading of the pest to adjoin- 

 ing places ; neglect on the part of generally infested towns 

 leads to the swarming of the moth and its dispersal into 

 neighboring municipalities. The ease with which the moth 

 becomes distributed gives an additional reason for thorough- 

 ness in stami)ing out inci})ient colonies. 



The tabulation below gives a good idea of the rapidly 

 increasing spread of the insect. Since 18ill) no accurate 

 records of the distribution of the moth have been kejit. 

 The area infested in ISJKi, the year previous to the discovery 

 of the moth, was determined by the tinding in the spring of 

 1897 of the winter webs of the previous year. 



Square Miles. 



Area infested, fall of lH9(i, 29 



Area infested, fall of 1897 158 



Area infested, fall oj 189S, 448 



Area infested, fall of 1899 928 



Area infested, fall of 1902, estimated, . . 1,500 



