GYPSY AND BROWN-TAIL MOTHS. 39 



white eggs upon the larger caterpillars of the gypsy moth in 

 certain localities each year so abundantly as periodically to at- 

 tract attention; but the identity of these eggs cannot be deter- 

 mined, since the maggots which hatch from them rarely go 

 through to maturity. The reasons for this extraordinary state 

 of affairs have not been accurately determined, but in some way 

 the caterpillars of the introduced insect are not fitted to the 

 needs of the maggots of the native parasite. 



It has been stated that the native species occasionally com- 

 pletes its growth and transformations upon the gypsy moth, and, 

 since it is impracticable to separate the adults with certainty, 

 there will be no way of following the progress of the imported 

 species in America until it shall become a great deal more com- 

 mon than the native in this connection. It is unquestionably 

 too soon to look for such conditions at the present time, but it 

 is rather confidently expected that within a few years Tachina 

 larvarum will become an efficient link in the sequence of para- 

 sites which it is hoped to establish. 



There is a species of Tachina in Japan, indistinguishable in 

 habit from the European species, and apparently rather more 

 effective. The adults are different, however, and quite easily 

 distinguished from either the American or the European. A 

 small number have been liberated, and it is possible that thev 

 will be heard from in the future. It is also expected that a 

 larger number will be imported and liberated the coming sea- 

 son, so that, if the European species for any reason should fail 

 to come up to expectations, the position which it might other- 

 wise occupy will not remain vacant. 



Zygohothria gilva and Carcelia gnava. 

 Through the efforts of M. R6ne Oberthiir of Rennes, very 

 large shipments of gypsy caterpillars and pupse were received 

 from France in 1909 in much better condition than any con- 

 siderable shipments ever received before. Largely because of 

 the satisfactory condition of the material on receipt, and partly 

 because the two parasites named above are more common m 

 the Mediterranean region than in northern or central Europe, 

 several thousands of each were imported and colonized under 

 the happy circumstances which accompanied nearly all of the 



