No. 4.] THE GYPSY MOTH. 433 



am very confident that enough money has already been 

 spent in this work to have exterminated the gypsy moth, if 

 it had been made available so that the committee could have 

 used such sums as they needed and whenever it was needed. 

 I feel very strongly that it is time for the Legislature to 

 settle the question whether the State is to work for the 

 extermination of this pest, or not. If this is not to be 

 done, then no further appropriations should be made ; but, 

 if it is to go on, what valid reason can any candid person 

 give why the undivided opinion of all economic entomolo- 

 gists in America, who are the only experts in a case like 

 this, should not be accepted, and the amounts estimated by 

 those who are best informed and have given the closest study 

 to every detail of the work be appropriated? 



The Brown-tail Moth. 



This insect should be considered entirely by itself, and 

 not grouped with the gypsy moth, if the question of its ex- 

 termination is to be considered ; for the reason that its 

 habits are so totally unlike those of the gypsy moth that 

 there is little or no economy in attempting to wage war 

 against both insects at the same time. The action taken by 

 the Legislature thus far would lead one to the conclusion 

 that before a majority of our legislators can be convinced 

 that this is so serious a pest that it should be dealt with by 

 the State, it will have spread so far and wide over the 

 country, if it has not already done so, that extermination 

 will be impossible. 



Fearing some such outcome as this, the committee have 

 instructed the field director and entomologist, with such 

 assistants as they may need, " to collect such information, 

 both in this country and in Europe, in regard to the brown- 

 tail moth, and make such experiments with the insect as 

 may be useful to the committee in future dealing with the 

 creature and necessary for the proper enlightenment of the 

 public on the subject, with a view to publishing the said 

 information if it may appear desirable." 



Respectfully submitted, 



C. H. FERNALD. 



