ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY. l'i'9 



with every true scientist, hated all pretension, and was in every respect thor- 

 oughly honest and genuine. 



Many of our worst insect enemies were first described by Dr. Walsh, and by 

 careful and persistent experimentation, he discovered, and freely gave to the 

 world many of our most valuable remedies. 



The safety with which the true scientist may prophesy, is well illustrated in 

 many of Dr. Walsh's articles, as for instance, his predictions in reference to 

 the new potato beetle {Doryphora 10-lineata, Say), and hateful grasshopper 

 {CaJoptenvs spretus, Uhler), which time has fully verified. 



Dr. Walsh was about the only entomologist I have ever known, who failed 

 to appreciate the good wrought by birds. I have sometimes wondered if the 

 loss of some favorite fruit during the earnest period of childhood combined 

 with the proverbial '' stick- to-it-iveness" of English prejudice, might not ac- 

 count for this eccentricity. 



Dr. Walsh was assistant editor of the first volume, and sole editor of the 

 second volume of the Practical Entomologist, published by the Entomological 

 Society for the years 18GH-7. He was also associated with Prof. Eiley as editor 

 of theAmerican Entomologist, in 1868-69-70, up to the time of the sad acci- 

 dent which bequeathed such a severe loss to our country. He also issued a 

 valuable report during his first year as State Entomologist of Illinois. I most 

 earnestly recommend that all our Michigan fruit growers become possessors of 

 these several volumes, which I can assure you, you will find unsurpassed in 

 practical value, and so entertaining that they will attract and stimulate your 

 children to observation, and help to beget a taste for nature which will prove 

 invaluable. 



Dr. Walsh's re-appointment as State Entomologist of Illinois, with a salary 

 of S2,000, together with the speedy appointment of a successor, after his 

 lamented death, is also significant of the good work he did in practical ento- 

 mology. 



The next name for consideration is no stranger to you, for Prof. Riley's good 

 work has been richly appreciated by every thoroughly-informed husbandman 

 in our country. Prof. Riley labors with great advantage, in that his able pen 

 is greatly aided by the truthful delineations of a no less skillful pencil, and not 

 only for his zeal and energy in pushing entomological investigations, but also 

 for his faithful illustrations, he justly merits the gratitude of ns all. 



Prof. Riley was the first to describe and unravel the history and transforma- 

 tions of many of our most destructive insect foes, as instanced by the climb- 

 ing cut-worm, so destructive along our western coast. He has also worked up 

 the history of a little moth, not only new to science, but of new generic char- 

 acters: Pronu'ba YuccaseUa, Eiley, on which several of our beautiful Yuccas 

 eeem absolutely dependent for fertilization, and which adds another chapter to 

 that wonderful story of inter-dependence between flowers and insects com- 

 menced by the renowned Sprengal and so ably continued by Darwin and oth- 

 ers. Prof. Riley has also studied up the curious history of that terrible 

 scourge of Europe the grape Phylloxera : the Phylloxera vastatrix, proving, 

 as I think, though not satisfactorily to Prof. Glover, that the leaf and root lice 

 are identical, and that the insect so destructive in Europe is a native Ameri- 

 can, which, fortunately for us, goes abroad to wreak its worst injuries. Prof. 

 Riley's study of this insect demanded a journey to Europe, and for his valua- 

 ble discoveries he has received not only the praise of Europeans, but French so- 

 cieties have openly voted him thanks, while the Minister of Agriculture and 



