82 PARASITES OF GIPSY AND BROWN-TAIL MOTHS. 



the host, which are also attached ventrally to the bark of the tree, 

 and as numerous caterpillars die in a restricted area a mass of Apan- 

 teles cocoons, often of considerable thickness, is formed. Such 

 masses standing out as white patches against the dark tree trunks on 

 which they rest may be seen for considerable distances. Cocoons of 

 Apantales solitarius were also observed in the forest of Mechnigori, 

 but were comparatively rare, so this species evidently did not repre- 

 sent a very important element in the control of the gipsy moth. 



In the forested areas about Kief the caterpillars of the brown-tail 

 moth were rarely met with, but in several of the parks on the out- 

 skirts of the city they were found in abundance. In the grounds of 

 the military school a large number of magnificent oak trees were 

 almost denuded of foliage, and some of the other deciduous trees and 

 shrubs, such as poplars, rose bushes, and Crataegus, were severely 

 damaged. The usual brown-tail parasites were found at work, the 

 most effective being Meteorus. Almost every branch of the injured 

 trees bore the suspended cocoons of this parasite. Tachinids were 

 also active, so it was obvious that very few of the caterpillars would 

 reach maturity. 



On departing from Kief on July 9 the season was practically over, 

 and gipsy moths were in flight. 



Returning to Bendery, it was found that the season was over so far 

 as Apantales solitarius was concerned, but large numbers of tachinid 

 pup aria were in evidence. As many as possible of these were assem- 

 bled and shipped to America. The chrysalides of the gipsy moth 

 were also forwarded in considerable numbers in the hope of securing 

 pupal parasites. 



These lines of work were continued till July 16, by which time the 

 season was so advanced that the moths were beginning to deposit their 

 eggs for the succeeding season. From the abundance of moths in 

 flight it was obvious that unless the natural parasites multiplied suf- 

 ficiently to control the situation the region would experience another 

 visitation of the same character during the following year. 



Leaving Bendery on July 16, the writer returned to Paris via 

 Odessa, Constantinople, and Naples, arriving in New York August 28. 



Owing to various unforeseen conditions, and principally owing to 

 the deficient transportation facilities, the material received as the 

 result of Prof. Kincaid's expedition proved to be unsatisfactory on 

 the whole. 



In May and June, 1910, the senior author went to Europe once 

 more, visited agents and officials in Italy and France, and, through 

 the courtesy of the Spanish and Portuguese Governments, was able 

 to start new official services in each of these countries for the collec- 

 tion and sending of parasitized gipsy-moth larvae to the United 

 States. In Italy Prof. Silvestri at Portici and Dr. Berlese at Flor- 

 ence were visited and informed as to the latest ideas of the laboratory 

 regarding methods of shipment. In Spain Prof. Leandro Navarro, 

 of the Phytopathological Station at Madrid, volunteered his services 

 with the approval of the minister of agriculture. In Portugal Senhor 

 Alfredo Carlos Lecocq, director of agriculture, placed the visitor in 

 relation with Prof. A. F. de Seabra, of the Phytopathological Station 



