Department of Entomology. xci 



Beginning with the year about to open, the subjects just named are 

 to be elective and the required work of the first year is to consist 

 of a three-hour course in General Biology extending through the 

 year. It is believed that this change will add greatly to the efficiency 

 of the department in the preparation of students for their later 

 Avork in the more advanced biological subjects included in the 

 agricultural curriculum. 



The course in General Biology is to be given by Professor J. G. 

 Needham and Professor Comstock. In order to carry out this 

 change, Professor Needham has been added to the paid staff of 

 the college, his work in Limnology, heretofore, having been sup- 

 ported from private funds. 



The work in General Biology is to be supplemented by a two-hour 

 elective course in Animal Parasites and Parasitism extending 

 through the first term and a two-hour elective course on the 

 Relations of Insects to Disease extending through the second term. 

 These course are to be given by Professor W. A. Riley and Pro- 

 fessor Comstock. 



II investigation. 



Several members of the staff of the Department are engaged on 

 the preparation of text books for the use of students and general 

 readers. These include a manual of the spiders and allied animals, 

 the Arachnida, a work consisting of tables for the identification of 

 the insects of the Northeastern United States, a text book on 

 Insect Morphology, and a text book on General Biology. The text 

 book on General Biology is now in press and it is planned to have 

 it for use at the beginning of the college year; and the book on the 

 Arachnida is approaching completion. 



The studies of the life-history of the species of Isosoma infest- 

 ing timothy grass, including the study of its insect parasites and 

 their relation to each other and to other grass-inhabiting Isosomas, 

 has been continued. For a thorough investigation of the subject it 

 was found necessary to include those closely allied chalcis-flies 

 infesting various seeds. This phase of the work has been completed 

 and the results published as Experiment Station Bulletin No. 265. 

 by Professor Crosby. 



Work on several other insect pests of cultivated plants is in 

 progress. 



Professor Needham's researches regarding insects and crustaces 

 that serve as food for fishes has been continued and has been, 

 supplemented during the present summer by a study by Mr. H. A. 



