THE STORY OF AN ENTOMOLOGIST 



much that counts over here, our work has not been especially 

 spectacular in its results. 



I have always contended, however, that it would be an excellent 

 thing to do if we could bring into the United States from all 

 of the parallel life zones of the world as many parasitic and 

 predaceous insects as can possibly be acclimatized. And I have 

 been furthering this as far as possible. 



There has, in fact, grown up in the Bureau at Washington a 

 very considerable force of trained young men who are devoting 

 themselves almost wholly to such work, and we have had travel- 

 ling experts in many of the European countries and in Japan, 

 China, South America, and India as well, studying the parasites 

 of a number of the insect pests of foreign origin that have estab- 

 lished themselves in the United States, such as the Gipsy Moth, 

 the Brown-tail Moth, the Alfalfa Weevil, the Japanese Beetle, 

 the European Corn-borer, the European Elm Leaf-beetle, the 

 European Earwig and others. 



Many of my most interesting experiences have been con- 

 nected with efforts to establish relations with different European 

 countries to bring about a steady introduction into the United 

 States of the European parasites of the Gipsy Moth and the 

 Brown-tail Moth. As early as 1905 I went over, at the expense of 

 the state of Massachusetts; and in 1906, and almost annually 

 thereafter until the outbreak of the World War, Congress ap- 

 propriated funds so that I was able to do the work at the expense 

 of the Federal Government. I had visited Europe before at gov- 

 ernmental expense, although for a different object, and had 

 made personal friends among certain of the European workers. 

 The quick response that I received from the scientific men over 

 there to my request for advice and help was inspiring. From the 

 very start, learned and important officials like Marchal in Paris, 

 Berlese and Silvestri in Italy, Porchinski and Mokrzecki in 



[93] 



