No. 4.] THE GYPSY MOTH. 251 



moth vva.s in great abundance, the young caterpillars which 

 hung down in numbers hy their silken threads from badly 

 infested wayside trees frequently dropped upon wagons or 

 carriages and were carried away. Sometimes one or more 

 of them remained upon the vehicle until it arrived at its 

 place of destination. The chances were not great that a 

 colony of moths would result from a single transportation of 

 two or three caterpillars. But the vast amount of regular 

 traffic of all kinds passing in and out or through the badly 

 infested region made possible various transportations of 

 caterpillars to particular localities. The wagon of a market 

 gardener or milkman or swill taker, going daily or weekly to 

 or through a badly infested spot, would be likely, sooner or 

 later, to carry back to its starting-point enough caterpillars 

 to form the beginning of a new colony. Many instances of 

 this sort have been noted. The study of traffic and travel 

 has not only explained for the most part the present distri- 

 bution of the moth, but also why in twenty years' time it 

 spread such a comparatively short distance, north, south, 

 east and west, from Medford. This slow spread is explained 

 by the fact that the great bulk of the regular traffic and 

 pleasure driving in and out of the badly infested district 

 comes from or goes to closely adjacent territory. 



In the investigation of traffic and travel, inquiries were 

 made of teamsters and movers, nurserymen, swill takers, 

 marketmen, farmers, wood dealers, stable keepers, station 

 assents and others havins; a knowleds-e of traffic and driving. 

 This work Avas supplementary to that undertaken in former 

 years, and many of the facts obtained were used later during 

 a search in certain towns outside of the infested district. 

 Owing to the delay in making the appropriation of 1804, 

 this work of outside inspection was not undertaken until 

 autumn, although three men were sent out along the railroad 

 lines to the north and east, to examine points to which ship- 

 ments of goods had been sent in former years from infested 

 localities. No trace of the moth was found in this inspec- 

 tion. 



T/ie Fall I)isj)ecfion. 



The appropriation having been greatly reduced, more 

 men were discharged in September, and the field force was 



