No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 165 



perfect work without a collection of typical named specimens, it 

 is impossible for anyone to name all this great mass of miscellaneous 

 material readily and accurately without types for comparison, since 

 we receive so many kinds. For this reason, and for the proper aid 

 to our citizens, a good, reliable collection of the fauna of this State 

 is essential for the proper kind of work in this office. We have 

 undertaken such a collection, but it necessarily requires great time 

 and care. We now have thousands of specimens in the office, but 

 most of them have been sent in such condition, that they are not 

 tit to be preserved as permanent typical specimens. We should col- 

 lect our own material expressly for this purpose, and have it 

 preserved in the best possible manner in order to obtain the col- 

 lection needed for comparison. This is especially true of insects, 

 as we need specimens showing the different stages in the life history 

 of each species in order to facilitate the study of life histories, 

 and also, to give us other practical information. We hope to have 

 time to do this important work when a scientiiic assistant is ap- 

 pointed. 



While our practical work for the agriculturist deals mostly 

 with the enemies and diseases of plants, we must nof forget that 

 the broad work of the Zoologist must necessarily extend to the 

 higher animals, including the reptiles, birds and mammals. For 

 this reason we are making studies, notes and observations, as well 

 as collections, of the Vertebrates, and preparing the bases for 

 future publications upon such subjects, especially upon the reptiles 

 in their relation to agriculture. However, such publications can 

 not be completed until we obtain and study many specimens from 

 all i)arts of the State. For this purpose we are inviting readers 

 and correspondents to make a special effort to send us all possible 

 specimens of Pennsylvania animals of the lower kinds as well as 

 of the higher. 



THE COLLECTION FOR THE ST. LOUIS EXPOSITION. 



Under this head it is our pleasure to report to you that the Collec- 

 tion of Pennsylvania Animals in Relation to Agriculture prepared 

 in this office for the St. Louis Exposition has been completed in a 

 manner which, under the circumstances, should be quite gratifying 

 to all persons concerned. This interesting exhibit was made pos- 

 sible only through the appreciation and timely aid of Governor 

 Pennypacker, yourself, Col. James A. Lambert, of Philadelphia, and 

 Col. John A. Woodward, of Howard, Pa. The collection was not au- 

 thorized until December, 1903, and not a specimen was received until 

 the middle of January, 1904. During the subsequent two months 

 all the material for this large and interesting collection was brought 

 together by us, mounted and arranged in cases and shipped to St. 

 Louis. 



