04 uirsi AND BROWN-TAIL MOTHS. [Jan. 



This was finally secured by a radical modification of the method 

 used for the rearing of silk worms. Specially constructed trays 

 were employed, from which the caterpillars were prevented from 

 escaping by a band of " tangle-foot ; " and complete success, so 

 far as the laboratory end of the work was concerned, was se- 

 cured. The successful establishment of the parasite could not 

 be determined until the spring of 1909, xmder any circumstances, 

 but it is confidently expected that it will be recovered from the 

 vicinity of the colonies at that time. 



It is desired during 1909 to continue the importation of para- 

 sitized caterpillars and pupae of gypsy and brown-tail moths, 

 as in the past, and to make especial efforts to secure considerable 

 quantities of the living parasites of those species which it has 

 been found impossible to secure living and in numbers hereto- 

 fore. The work of importation has proved much more difficult 

 than was anticipated. In certain respects the method of col- 

 lecting and shipping the European material has proved to be 

 inadequate, and while it permits of some among the numbers 

 of parasites to reach their destination in safety, it is fatal to 

 others among which are some of the most promising. To cor- 

 rect these faults it is hoped that arrangements may be made 

 for the establishment of a shipping station in Russia, under 

 the direction of Professor Kincaid, who has demonstrated his 

 remarkable ability in this line during the past year in Japan. 

 The selection of Russia as a site for the proposed operations 

 has been made after a great deal of deliberation, and a full 

 consideration of all of the advantages and disadvantages of 

 such a selection. The problem of successful transportation of 

 the parasites or of the parasitized caterpillars is great, and wiU. 

 require especial arrangements with the transportation com- 

 panies and with the Russian government itself, in order to se- 

 cure the celerity of dispatch which is absolutely necessary for 

 success, and the avoidance of an examination of the packages 

 at the frontier. These disadvantages are, in the opinion of 

 those responsible for the selection, more than offset by the 

 greater abundance at the present time of the gypsy moth and 

 of its parasites in this section of Europe. 



A trip made by Mr. Fiske in September, 1908, into south- 

 western France, where it was first intended to establish this 



