NARRATIVE OF PROGRESS OF WORK. 79 
of the parasites of the gipsy moth reported to exist in that part of 
Europe. Proceeding to St. Petersburg via New York and Paris, an 
interview was had with Prof. Porchinsky, of the Russian Bureau of 
Entomology, who supplied valuable information and suggestions for 
the furtherance of the investigation. Leaving the Russian capital 
on April 28, a journey of 48 hours brought the writer to the city of 
Kishenef and after making a survey it was decided to establish 
a base of operations in the forest of Gauchesty, an area of wooded 
hills adjacent to a village of that name about 30 versts* northwest 
from Kishenef. Since the accommodations in the village of Gau- 
chesty were of an unsatisfactory character, Mr. Artemy Nazaroff, 
the manager of the estate of Prince Manook Bey, on the lands of 
which the more important infested areas existed, invited the writer 
and his interpreter to become his guests during the progress of the 
investigation. A suite of rooms in the guest house of Gauchesty 
castle was placed at our disposal, and Mr. Nazaroff did all in his 
power to forward our interests and to make agreeable our stay in 
that part of Russia. An outbuilding upon the farm of the estate 
was transformed into a laboratory in which was erected a set of 
rearing frames for the rearing of the parasites. During the first 
week of April systematic. exploration of the adjacent wooded areas 
was begun. The forest cover was found to consist almost exclusively 
of young oaks, with a few scattering trees of other species. The 
eround beneath the trees was fairly free from underbrush and was 
carpeted with a rich profusion of shrubs and flowers. At a distance 
of 7 versts from Gauchesty was an area covered with trees of con- 
siderable age among which the underbrush was comparatively dense. 
From the forester in charge of the timbered areas upon the estate 
it was learned that the gipsy moth had done great damage to the 
forest during the previous season, large areas having been completely 
defoliated. This statement was borne out by the immense number 
of egg masses attached to the trees. At the time we commenced 
our investigations the caterpillars had emerged from the eggs but 
were still resting upon the bark. Few signs of previous parasitic 
activity were observed beyond the discovery of a number of empty 
cocoons of Apanteles solitarius Ratz. attached to the bark of the 
trees. In the ancient forest mentioned above the egg masses were 
very numerous, but the number of larve upon the bark was remark- 
ably small. From the abnormal appearance of most of these egg 
masses, and from the fact that several Microhymenoptera were dis- 
covered in them, it seemed probable that a considerable number of 
the eggs had been destroyed through this agency. In other parts of 
the forest no evidence was secured indicating the presence of egg 
parasites. . 
The brown-tail moth seemed to be practically absent from the 
forested areas, but in the open rolling country between Kishenef and 
Gauchesty many wild pear growing in cultivated fields were found 
to be completely ietchiated, A large number of the larve were 
placed in rearing frames but yielded no parasites, not even Meteorus 
making its appearance. 
By June 1 the caterpillars of the gipsy moth had passed into the 
second stage and the oak trees were showing obvious signs of damage, 
but up to this date there was no indication of the emergence of 
'Verst; Russian measure of distance=3,500 English feet; 6 versts=approximately 4 English miles. 
