4 



THE GYPSY MOTH. 



insect was Mr. L. Trouvelot, now living in Paris, but at 

 that time living near Glenwood, Medford, where he at- 

 tempted some experiments in raising silk from our native 

 silk-worms, and also introduced European species for the 

 same purpose. Dr. Hagen told me that he distinctly remem- 

 bered hearing Mr. Trouvelot tell how they escaped from 

 him after he had imported them." 



Prof. N. S. Shaler of Harvard University, who knew Mr. 

 Trouvelot, has also stated to the writer that he remembers 

 hearing Mr. Trouvelot speak of the importation and escape. 

 Thus we have evidence from eminent scientific authorities 

 that settles beyond doubt the approximate time and the place 

 of introduction of this insect, and who was responsible for it. 

 During his sojourn in Medford Mr. Trouvelot lived in a 

 house (now known as No. 27 Myrtle Street) near Glenwood 

 station on the Medford branch of the Boston & Maine Rail- 

 road. It is said by people who lived in the vicinity in 1869 

 that he imported some insects' eggs about that time, some 

 of which were blown out of a window of the room in which 

 they were kept, and that he was much disturbed on being 

 unable to find them. Others state that the insects escaped 

 in the larval form. Probably the insect was imported in the 

 egg. Its escape seems to have been accidental, and Trou- 

 velot, being aware of the dangerous character of the pest, 

 and finding his efforts for its eradication futile, gave public 

 notice of the fact that the moth had escaped from his custody. 



The Uototiced Increase of the Moth. 



The historian is considerably embarrassed by lack of evi- 

 dence in regard to the increase and spread of the moth dur- 

 ing the first ten years. No one except Trouvelot is known 

 to have observed it during any portion of that time. For 

 most of the evidence of its spread and ravages during the 

 decade from 1879 to 1889 we must depend on the testimony 

 of residents of Medford and Maiden. Much information 

 bearing on the subject has been obtained during the past 

 three years, letters and carefully revised statements having 

 been received from a large number of people in these cities. 



For several years after the moth escaped, it attracted no 

 attention in Medford. People who witnessed in 1889 the 



