﻿OE THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



above that altitude, yet the eggs, or the larvae just hatched from them 

 were dried up and dead, will suggest the reason, which is probably due 

 to the very dry atmosphere in connection with the cool nights. 



ALARM AKOUT IT ABROAD. 



In earlier reports I have expressed the opinion that there would 

 "be real danger of the insect finding its way to Europe when once it 

 reached the Atlantic seaboard; and now that it has done so, the 

 authorities in several of the European countries are taking active 

 measures to prevent such a possible calamity as the introduction of 

 our potato beetle might prove. The potato, to some of the European 

 peoples, is of more national importance than to us, and we cannot won- 

 kier at the alarm manifested across the water, or at the interest which 

 the subject creates there, as evidenced in the number of pamphlets, 

 both in French, German and English which have lately appeared on 

 the subject in Europe, and the numerous articles written for the period- 

 ical press. 



The governments of Belgium, France, Switzerland and Germany 

 have already prohibited the importation of American potatoes, and 

 Italy, the Netherlands and Great Britain, which have been solicited to 

 do so, are seriously inquiring into the necessities of the case. The 

 British Government is naturally slow to take such stringent steps, 

 which would perhaps more deeply affect it than the other nations 

 mentioned, since Great Britain does the larger trade in American pota- 

 toes. In reply to Mr. Herbert, M. P. for Kerry, who recently asked 

 the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether Her Majesty's government 

 had taken any steps to prevent the introduction of the insect. Sir M. 

 M. Beach sought to abate fear, rather underrated the danger, and 

 wisely concluded that any interference with the trade should first have 

 the most careful consideration. Those who have watched the insect's 

 gradual spread during the past seventeen or eighteen years, from its 

 native Rocky Mountain home to the Atlantic, and have seen how the 

 lakes, instead of hindering its march into Canada, really accelerated 

 4hat march, by affording carriage on vessels, rafters and other floating 

 objects,can have no doubt that the danger felt by our transatlantic 

 friends is real. 



Yet 1 must repeat the opinion expressed a year ago — and which 

 has been very generally coincided in by all who have any familiarity 

 with the insect's economy — that if it ever gets to Europe it will most 

 likely be carried there in the perfect beetle state on some vessel ply- 

 ing between the two continents. While the beetle, especially in the 

 non-growing season, will live for months without food, the larva would 

 ^perish in a few days without fresh potato tops, and would, I believe, 



