PARASITES OF GIPSY-MOTH PUP. 239 
is probably similar to that taken by P. conquisitor or P. pedalis in 
America. On this account it is not considered as probable that 
either P. examinator or P. instigator will ever become established in 
America as a result of the not very satisfactory colonies which have 
been liberated. They will, of necessity, enter into direct conflict 
with the American species for a share in the business of being para- 
sites upon a certain section of the insect community, including a 
large number of species of which the gipsy moth is but one. Compe- 
tition may result in cut rates and more and cheaper parasitism for a 
time, but eventually, if the newcomers ever secure a foothold at all, 
they will either drive the natives out of the business or else share 
and share alike with them in accordance with an amicable and 
natural agreement. 
In consequence, no assistance is expected from the various foreign 
species of the genus Pimpla as parasites of the gipsy moth or of the 
brown-tail moth. They are merely liberated when received, under 
the best conditions which can be afforded looking for their estab- 
lishment, and if they are ever recovered from the field, the most that 
is expected of them is that the circumstances surrounding such 
recovery will exemplify the truth of the above remarks. 
ICHNEUMON DISPARIS PODA. 
One of the most distinctive of the gipsy-moth parasites, and one 
of the first, if not the very first, described as attacking that host, 
Ichneumon disparis is at the same time one of the less common, if 
dependence is to be placed upon the rearing records at the labo- 
ratory. It may be that it is never common, or it may be that it is 
eastern and southern in its distribution in Europe, rather than 
central and western; some few incidents in connection with its impor- 
tation have indicated that perhaps its scarcity in European imported 
material was due to such material having been collected outside of its 
natural range. In any event not more than two score of individuals 
have been reared in the course of the five years since the work was 
begun. 
Very little is known of its life and habits, other than that it probably 
attacks the pupz or perhaps the prepupex, and never the active 
caterpillars. It is thought possible that it hibernates as an adult, 
and if this is true, it might conceivably be a parasite of importance 
could enough be secured to make possible a sufficiently strong colony. 
To date there never has been a single mated pair available for libera- 
tion at any one time, 
