GYPSY AND BROWN-TAIL MOTHS. 11 



Japanese entomologists, who were most generous in their oilers 

 of assistance and advice. At the same time, it must be ad- 

 mitted that the sum total of available and absolutely reliable 

 information was far from adequate. Long lists of parasites had 

 been compiled ^ but these records were based upon the notes and 

 observations of entomologists who were not particularly inter- 

 ested in the possible practical side of the question, and very 

 frequently their records amounted to little more than the bare 

 fact that a certain parasite had been reared in connection with 

 the gypsy moth or the brown-tail moth. Furthermore, the same 

 parasite was sometimes referred to by different entomologists 

 under different names, or different parasites were considered to 

 be the same, and on this account hardly any dependence could 

 be placed on many of the records, and the doubt was reflected 

 upon others. With very rare exceptions, nothing was published 

 which gave any clue to the relative importance of the different 

 species, and in several instances a secondary parasite was re- 

 corded as attacking the gypsy moth itself. 



The work in the beginning was largely experimental, being 

 an effort to determine ways and means for securing the parasites 

 in a living and healthy condition. This accomplished, it be- 

 came necessary to make a critical study of the various species 

 secured, to determine, first of all, whether they were truly pri- 

 mary enemies of the moth, or whether they were present in some 

 other connection. If they proved to be primary parasites and 

 true enemies of the gypsy moth, they were liberated as rapidly 

 as they could be imported and reared. As the work progressed, 

 the various species were studied in greater and greater detail, 

 and were ranked according to their relative importance in the 

 countries to which they were native, and according to their 

 methods of attack. Every effort was made to learn the main 

 facts in the life and habits of each, and to become familiar with 

 the conditions necessary to insure the establishment of each spe- 

 cies in Massachusetts. 



Upon numerous occasions knowledge of this character has 

 been of the greatest value in suggesting the methods of import- 

 ing, handling and colonizing the parasites, and in some instances 

 it was essential to success. The work has been seriously handi- 



' Howard: "Insect Life," vol. 2, p. 210. Forbush and Fernald: "The Gypsy Moth," pp. 

 377 and 387. 



