2 64 • The Ohio Naturalist. [Vol. XI, No. 3. 



accessil)lc in their immediate neighborhoods, they would have a 

 basis for teaching which w^onld be of the utmost service in their 

 work. Such knowledge is more particularly in demand since 

 there has been such a general movement in nature study, and so 

 much demand for instruction in those branches which are closely 

 related to agriculture and the industries. 



In another direction such a survey is desirable because it is 

 becoming known that many diseases have their means of trans- 

 mission in the lower fonns of organisins such as the fly, mosquito, 

 flea, etc., and to the physician it is a matter of distinct importance 

 to know what animals capable of bearing these diseases are to be 

 found in the locality in which he is at work. 



In connection with the distribution of plant life there is an 

 important w^ork to be done in recording areas of timber and the 

 proportion of the different kinds of timber trees in the state. 

 While this may in its details belong to a distinct division of for- 

 estry, the general distribution could naturally be. determined in 

 such a survey as is here contempleted, and unless provided for in 

 other directions w^ould be an important subject for study. The 

 distribution of plants with special reference to soil and conditions 

 would form a very important basis for the experimental work 

 carried on by the state experiment station, and the necessity for 

 such a vSurvey has been very pointedly urged by the director of 

 the Experiment Station. 



A feature of the proposed Survey that will concern the various 

 schools in the state particularly is that of the distribution of the 

 identified material through the schools, to form local collections in 

 the colleges, city museums or high schools where they may be 

 desired. vSuch a distribution is carried on in Illinois and has been 

 a means of large service in the state. One advantage of this pol- 

 icy will be to distribute the services of the vSurvey widely over the 

 state rather than to centralize a large collection in any one place. 

 It means also that the different communities throughout the 

 state will have an opportunity to co-operate with the vSurvey 

 both in the collection of material, the preparation of reports, and 

 in the direct use of the materials obtained. 



Work of the kind here proposed is in progress in Connecticut, 

 Vermont, Maryland, North Carolina, Alabama, New^ York, New 

 Jersey, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, 

 Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Michigan and probably some 

 other states, and it will be noted that of the northern and central 

 portion of the country Ohio stands alone in not providing for 

 such work. The surveys in these different states are organized on 

 somewhat varied lines, but in all cases provide for more or less of 

 the work here proposed. In Connecticut the Survey is practically 

 along the lines here suggested, although it does not provide for 

 distribution of collections to schools. In New York it is carried on 



