EXPERIMENT STATION REPOKTS 67 



EEPORT OF CONSULTIXC^ ZOOLOGIST. 



Professor C. D. Smith, Director of Experiment Station: . 



Sir — I have the honor to submit the following report of the work of the 

 Zoological Department of the Station for the past year: 



There has been no change in the personnel of the department, and the 

 duties of its members have been much the same as in former years. It 

 has been found necessary, however, to draw the line more sharply than 

 heretofore between the work of the Station and that of the Academic 

 Department, owing to the pressure of work in the latter department and 

 the fact that the Station pays but |500 per annum for this work. 



A large part of the year's' work, as heretofore, has been in correspond- 

 ence with agriculturists scattered throughout the State whose crops 

 are attacked or threatened by insects; but there have been many 

 inquiries also in regard to birds, reptiles, fish, and mammals, as well as 

 the usual number of queries from teachers and others seeking information 

 as to the best text-books or books of reference in zoology and kindred 

 sciences. 



Among the hundreds of letters answered, too many by far relate to such 

 common insect pests as the tent-caterpillar and canker-worm, insects 

 which are readily controlled by simple methods, but which nevertheless 

 continue to swarm unmolested every year in some sections of the State, 

 and doubtless will do so for all time to come. Other well known injuri- 

 ous insects are the cutworms, grasshoppers, and squash-bugs, all of which 

 have been destructive during the past year. Unlike the species last men- 

 tioned, these foes are not easily controlled and their presence is nof 

 necessarily an indication of thriftlessness or neglect. However, the in- 

 telligent and industrious farmer learns eventually how to minimize these 

 evils and it is the part of the Station entomologist to give to such every 

 aid and encouragement possible. 



The clover-leaf weevil {Phytomomus pnnctatus) and its several associa- 

 ates, which in recent years have given so much trouble, would seem to be 

 growing less numerous, judging from the paucity of complaintsduring the 

 past twelvemonth. Probably intelligent methods of combating them, 

 combined with the natural increase of their enemies, animal and vege- 

 table, are having their proper effect. The Hessian-fly has figured con- 

 spicuously in the newspapers and in the crop reports, yet our correspond- 

 ence would indicate that here again the same factors are making them- 

 selves felt, and that the natural enemies of this insect stand ready to 

 mitigate the plague whenever the farmer will do his part toward intel- 

 ligent restriction. 



Many complaints are received every year in regard to the insects which 

 infest stored grain and other seeds, particularly peas and beans. In most 

 cases we have found the prescription of carbon bisulphide perfectly sat- 

 isfactory, though its cost makes it rather expensive on a large scale. 

 Complaints of the carpet beetle, clothes moth, and other household pests 

 to which the same remedy is applicable have not been as frequent as 



usual. 



During the summer of '98 we had a few letters relating to the forest 

 tree tent-caterprllar (CJisiocnmpa distria), and this summer the worms 



