EEMEDIES IN EUROPE. 



287 



caterpillars became entangled, and by evening were dead. 

 After a rain these bands should be replaced." 



By the advice of Prof. B. E. Fernow, of the Department 

 of Agriculture, Washington, D. C, I wrote the following 

 letter to Professor Altum : — 



Amherst, Mass., U. S. A., Jan. 21, 1895. 



Prof. Dr. Bernard Altum. 



Dear Sir : — I send you by post some papers which contain an 

 account of the introduction and spread of the " Schwammspinner" 

 (Ocneria dispar L.) in this country, and of the efforts that have 

 been made to exterminate this insect. You will see by an exam- 

 ination of these papers that the insect has proved more destructive 

 here than it usually does in Europe, while in England it has be- 

 come extinct from unknown natural causes. 



We have already found several parasitic and predaceous insects 

 preying on 0. dispar, as you will see mentioned in the reports 

 which I send to you ; but I very much wish to learn whether you 

 think it would be wise for us to attempt to introduce the European 

 parasites into this country ; and, if so, what parasites would it be 

 desirable for us to introduce, and where and how can they be best 

 obtained ? We have been advised to introduce some of the Euro- 

 pean predaceous beetles, as Calosoma sycoj^hanta (L.), Calosoma 

 inquisitor (L.) and Silpha quadripunctata L. Others have told 

 us that Calosoma sycophanta is so large and conspicuous that 

 insectivorous birds would destroy it to such an extent that it would 

 prove of little assistance in destroying the " Schwammspinner." 

 Will you be so kind as to give me your advice on this subject, and 

 also any information you may have of the methods used in Europe 

 for the destruction of this insect? I have your valuable work on 

 " Forstzoologie," but from all I can learn this insect is more 

 troublesome and destructive in southern Europe than in G-ermany. 

 I shall be very grateful for any information that you may be able 

 to give me. 



Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 



C. H. Fernald. 



In reply to the above letter Professor Altum wrote as 

 follows : — 



I have never known of a devastation in Germany equal in severity 

 and extent to that in your country. So far as I know, all of the 

 devastations of dispar in this region have occurred on limited 

 areas, and have always quickly disappeared. 



