44 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



the whole mass in this paper. They can be turned over to whoever car- 

 ries on this investigation for you hereafter, if it is to be carried on, and 

 incorporated with the results of further study. 



Mr. Wier said : I am pleased with this paper of Prof. Forbes. We 

 have heretofore been disposed not to discriminate between the birds — 

 those that befriend us and those that injure us. I am glad to see that 

 the Cat-bird has got its deserts in that paper. He is the worst bird in the 

 premises, and should be destroyed on all occasions. 



Mr. Bryant, Sen., said there was another bird, the Blue Jay, that 

 was especially obnoxious, inasmuch as it expelled the Blue Bird and other 

 birds that were useful on the farm. The Blue Jay must be classed with 

 those birds that are " worthy of death." 



D. B. Wier's report upon the same subject was called for, when he 

 answered that his report was embraced in that of the committee appointed 

 by the State Horticultural Society last year, to take into consideration a 

 systematic and co-operative plan for combating insects noxious to horti- 

 culture, and also collaterally the preservation of beneficial insects and 

 birds. 



Mr. O. B. Galusha is the Secretary of that committee, and has sent 

 in the report, which is here submitted. The committee are not respon- 

 sible for the statements given in parenthesis. They are presented as 

 further illustration of the subject, but on his authority alone. 



Secretary Galusha's Report was then submitted, to which is added 

 D. B. Wier's parenthetical notes. 



HORTICULTURAL ENTOMOLOGY. 



At the last meeting of the State Horticultural Society, at the request 

 of our State Entomologist, Prof. Cyrus Thomas, of Carbondale, 111., a 

 committee of practical horticulturists was appointed to take under consid- 

 eration a systematic and co-operative plan for combating insects noxious 

 to horticulture, and also collaterally the preservation of beneficial insects 

 and birds. 



The committee, or commission, were called together and met at the 

 Normal University, Normal, 111., on the 29th of February. Unfortunately,, 

 the press of work, owing to fine, warm weather and sickness, prevented 

 some, who would have been very valuable helpers in this work, from being 

 present, but the commission organized on the morning of the 29th for 

 work. The committee had invited to sit with the commission the fol- 

 lowing specialists : Prof. Cyrus Thomas, State Entomologist ; Prof. T. J. 



