50 Bulletin of the Brovklyn Entomological Society Vol. IX 



cynthia with a view to testing their availabiHty as a substitute for 

 the better known silkworm, Bomhyx mori. He bred them in cap- 

 tivity for three years, then Hberated a number on the ailanthus 

 trees, from which undoubtedly all specimens found in this region 

 are descended.* 



Although Ackhurst had an extensive acquaintance among en- 

 tomologists everywhere, he did not join the Brooklyn Society 

 until many years later, and it was partly on his account that the 

 meeting night was changed. He seemed to enjoy the meetings 

 greatly and participated enthusiastically in the discussions, to 

 which he added much by his knowledge and experience. He died 

 at his home, 78 Ashland PL, Feb. 15, 1902, lacking a few days of 

 8y years of age. While he gave much attention to entomology, 

 he was more interested in ornithology, taxidermy being his chosen 

 profession. His insect collection was bought after his death by 

 the Chicago University. 



Several years after my first meeting with Ackhurst we heard of 

 another man, heralded as learned, with a large collection, and 

 Grote and I met him. His name was Jung. At the appointed 

 hour we came to his house with bundles of boxes with unnamed 

 specimens. To our consternation he was no better posted than 

 ourselves, as his labels were mainly "Sphinx?," "Geometer?," 

 "Arctia?," etc., which we already knew. Shortly after this I 

 made the acquaintance of an old Englishman who had a large 

 collection of insects, and, what was much more important, an 

 extensive, valuable entomological library. He lived on Ryerson 

 St., near Fulton, and collected in all orders, having a large her- 

 barium as well. He was smooth shaven, with a long thin, pointed 

 nose, spectacled and spoke with a strong London accent. This 



* The ailanthus, the tree from China on which the caterpillars which 

 provide the pongee silk of commerce feed, was planted in Brooklyn about 

 1866 as a substitute to shade trees infested with span worm pest, the 

 Ennomos subsignaria. H. A. Graef was the pioneer in asking for spray- 

 ing the trees with poison. An appropriation of $25,000 for this purpose 

 was defeated in the Board of Aldermen. A physician of Newark advo- 

 cated importing the English sparrow for the same purpose. This was 

 done, and, whatever may now be said to the detriment of the bird, it did 

 its work. The shade tree span worm has never since been a nuisance in 

 the cities, although three years ago the whole city was white with them 

 one September night, brought by the wind. 



