472 



Keply.— The insect which you send is one of the common Pacific coast fornvs of 

 the so-called "White Ants," and is known as Termopsis angusticoJlis. Your note on 

 the hahits of the species is very interesting. lam not familiar with any detailed 

 account of the habits of this genus, but there are likely to be four forms — male, female, 

 ordinary worker, and soldier. If you have the opportunity, a careful study of its hab- 

 its will be important, and I should be glad to receive from you specimens of all the 

 forms— [May 4, 1891.] 



GENERAL NOTES. 



MASSACHUSETTS LAWS AND REGULATIONS AGAINST THE GYPSY 



MOTH. 



AN ACT to provide against depredations by the insect known as Ocneria dispar, or Gypsy Moth. 



Be it enacted hi/ the Senate and House of liepresentaiives in General Court assembled, 

 and by the authority of the same, as follows : 



Section 1. The State Board of Agriculture is hereby authorized, empowered, and 

 directed to x)rovide aud carry into execution all possible and reasonable measures to 

 prevent the spreading and to secure the extermination of the Ocneria dispar, or Gypsy 

 Moth, in this Commonwealth; and to this end said State Board of Agriculture shall 

 have full authority to provide itself with all necessary material and appliances and 

 to employ such competent persons, servants, and agents as it, said State Board of 

 Agriculture, shall from time to time deem needful in the execution of the purposes of 

 this act; and said State Board of Agriculture shall also have the right itself or by 

 any persons, servants, or agents employed by it, said board, under this act to enter 

 upon the lauds of any person. 



Sec. 2. The owner of any land so entered upon, who shall suffer damage by such 

 entry and acts done thereon by said State Board of Agriculture, or under its direction, 

 may recover the same of the city or town in which the lands so claimed to have been 

 damaged are situate, by actiou of contract; but any benefits received by such entry 

 and the acts done on such lands in the execution of the purposes of this act, shall 

 be determined by the court or jury before whom such action is heard, aud the amount 

 thereof shall bo applied to the reduction of said damages, and the Commonwealth 

 shall refund to said city or town one-half of the amount of the damages recovered. 



Sec. 3. Said State Board of Agriculture shall have full authority to make from 

 time to time such rules aud regulations in furtherance of the purposes of this act as 

 it shall deem needful; which rules and regulations shall be published in one or more 

 newspapers published in the county of Suffolk; and copies of such rules and regu- 

 lations shall be posted in at least three public places in each city or town in which 

 said Ocneria dispar, or Gypsy Moth, shall be found by said State Board of Agriculture 

 to exist, and a cojiy thereof shall be filed with the city clerk of each such city, and 

 with the town clerk of each such t®wn ; and any person who shall knowingly violate 

 any of the i)rovisions thereof shall bo punished for each such violation by a fine not 

 exceeding twenty-five dollars. 



Sec. G. Any person who shall purposely resist or obstruct said State Board of 

 Agriculture, or any persons, servants, or agents employed by it under this act, while 

 engaged in the execution of the purposes of this act, shall be punished by a fine not 

 exceeding twenty-five dollars for each offence. 



Sec. 7. It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to bring the insect known 

 as Ocneria dispar, or Gypsy Moth, or its nests or eggs, within this Commonwealth ; or 

 for any person knowingly to transport said insect, or its nests or eggs, from any 

 town or city to another town or city within this Commonwealth. Any person who 

 shall olfeud against the provisions of this section of this act shall be punished by a 

 fine not exceeding two hundred dollars or by imprisonment in the house of correction 

 not exceeding sixty days, or by both said line and imprisonment. 



