THE STORY OF AN ENTOMOLOGIST 



devoted to the fauna and flora of the Crimea, spreading out 

 a bit into the general fauna of the Black Sea region. The col- 

 lection of insects had a much wider range, and included a great 

 deal of material from other countries. 



As had been the case with other European official entomolo- 

 gists, Mokrzecki entered at once into my plans for the intro- 

 duction of parasites of the Gipsy Moth into the United States, 

 and would not hear of any remuneration from the state of Mas- 

 sachusetts or from the United States government. He had al- 

 ready reared an egg parasite of the Brown-tail Moth and was 

 subsequently of much help to us. 



In anticipation of my arrival, Mokrzecki had prepared an 

 elaborate address of welcome, illuminated by a clever artist in 

 the museum and beautifully bound in Russian leather. I was 

 amused to read in gold letters on the cover the words "Sir 

 Leland Howard," which indicated that someone had confused 

 American customs with Enghsh ones. Mokrzecki lived very 

 comfortably and had a beautiful wife, as well as a young son and 

 daughter. 



There was an incident connected with my departure which 

 could hardly have happened in any other country at that period. 

 About five o'clock in the afternoon we all went to the train, a 

 party of perhaps eight or ten, including Mokrzecki's family, the 

 Chief of Police, a prominent advocate. General Miiller and Mok- 

 rzecki's assistants. We all stood on the station platform for per- 

 haps a half-hour, awaiting the train and talking together in an 

 animated way. Next morning at Sebastopol I received a telegram 

 from the Chief of Police at Simferopol, warning me that a 

 suspect had been seen to enter the carriage next to mine on the 

 train. He was described as a short, robust man of the working 

 class, with a strong mark on his forehead. The Chief apologized 

 for the warning and said that my Simferopol friends were 



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