16 



THE REPORT OF THE 



No. 19 



are offensive, not only from, their destructiveness, but also from the fact that 

 their barbed hairs are easily cast, and, alighting on the human skin, work 

 their way into its pores, and cause excessive irritation. In my early ef- 

 forts at raising insects, in England, I again and again experienced the 

 baneful effects of too close contact with these caterpillars. 



The story of the introduction of the Brown-tail and Gypsy Moths to 

 Massachusetts has been well told in the publications of Messrs. Fernald and 

 Kirkland and Forbush; and so the evil reputation of these species has been 

 widely spread. People in Canada have looked for their advent with appre- 

 hension. It is not to be wondered at, therefore, that when the egg-masses of 

 an allied, but less injurious, species became conspicuous, to expectant eyes, 

 something like a panic occurred — it was thought that the dreadful Gypsy 

 Moth was come. 



'ltOi*»AN S.C 



Fig. 7. Tussock moth : a caterpillar; h and c chrysalids ; d and e male moths ; f and. g 

 female moths ; // eggs ; / male cocoons ; A- female moths and egg-masses on cococJns. 



I have known both the Brown Tapourer and the Grey for many years. 

 The former, indeed, attracted my attention soon after my arrival in Canada; 

 for it was to me an old acquaintance. Both species are common at Quebec. 

 Leucostigma has been plentiful here for some years past — it has never done 

 noteworthy damage. Its favourite food here is the White Willow {Salix- 

 alba, Linneus) ; and patches of its eggs may at this present time (October, 

 1905), be seen on the bolls of the willows in the Custom House Square, and 

 along Mountain Hill. 



