The device is used as follows. The egg masses, dry and preferably 

 broken up to facilitate dehairing, are placed in the jar. Enough to cover 

 the bottom comprises a workable charge. Then the unit is assembled, a 

 flexible tube is attached to the air inlet, and air is forced into the jar. 



The air current in the jar agitates the egg masses and separates the 

 hairs and debris from them. The hairs and debris are carried by the air 

 flow to the filter pad, where they are trapped. 



The air flow should be regulated so that it will not injure the eggs. In 

 field use portable sources of air can be used, such as an inflated tire tube 

 supplied by a foot-operated pump. 



The egg masses are completely dehaired in about 2 minutes. After use, 

 the filter pad is removed and burned (fig. 3) . 



This device has been used extensively in experimental work at the 

 Forest Insect Laboratory of the U. S. Forest Service Northeastern Forest 

 Experiment Station at New Haven, Conn., and the Bacteriology Depart- 

 ment of the University of Connecticut at Storrs, Conn. 



Use of the device has facilitated egg counts from gypsy moth egg 

 masses collected in the field and has provided clean dehaired eggs for 



Figure 2. — The parts of the dehairing apparatus. A, the glass jar; 

 B, the strainer; C, the cap with filter pad; and D, the air inlet tube. 



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