REPORT OF ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 49 



DEPARTMENT OF INSECTS. 



The honorary curator of this depaitineiit, Dr. L. O. Howard, states 

 that while there has been a decrease in the number of accessions, or 

 "lots/' of material received, there has been a marked increase in the 

 number of specimens and species represented in these accessions. The 

 material is also of greater scientific value. The most important acces- 

 sions are here mentioned: 



From Dr. W. L. Abbott, about 4,600 specimens from Troiis, Louver Siam (gift); 

 from Rev. D. W. Snyder, 1,410 specimens of insects from Lnebo, Congo (gift); from 

 D. W. C()<iuillett, Department of Agriculture, 860 sperimena of Tachinida-, including 

 81 type spetimeus (gift); from H. G. Hubbard and E. A. Sclnvarz, Department of 

 Agriculture, 69 species of Coleoptera, new to the collection (gilt); from the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, about (500 specimens of Homoiitera, Micro-hymenoptera, and 

 Coccincllida- from China, Japan, and Australia, collected by Mr. Albert Koebele 

 (gift) ; from Prof. T. D. A Cockcrell, Las Cruces, New Mexico, types of Hymenoptera 

 from Mexico and New Mexico; from Prof. 11. Osborn, Ames, Iowa, types of 20 species 

 of Homoptera (gift) ; from H. G. Hubbard, Department of Agriculture, a choice collec- 

 tion of Hymenoptera from the arid region of Arizona (gift); from Prof. O. F. Cook, 

 a collection of European Myriapods (gift); from H. G. Hubbard, Department of 

 Agriculture, 118 species of Coleoptera from the West Indies (gift); from the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, 168 specimens of Acridiidie collected in Mexico by C. H. Tyler 

 Townseud (gift); from J. G. Foettcrle, Petropolis, Brazil, 115 specimens of Lepi- 

 doptera from his locality (gift); from Dr. A. Dugis, Guanajuato, Mexico, a new 

 Cyuipid and a new Curculionid from (iuanajuato, Mexico (gift); from Prof. J. B. 

 Smith, New Brunswick, New Jersey, 7 types of Acroni/ctas (gift); from the Mus6e 

 d'Histoire Naturelle, Geneva, Switzerland, a collection of Orthoptera (exchange). 



The fragmentary exhibition series, owing to the lack of a more suit- 

 able place, has been arranged in the hallway leading to the offices of 

 the department of insects. On account of the unfavorable conditions 

 under wliich the specimens are exhibited, many of them need remount- 

 ing, and in some cases new and fresh material should be substituted 

 for the old. The study, or systematic, series is in good condition, 

 although some additional labels should be supplied. 



The honorary curator states that an effort will be made to arrange 

 and determine all the exotic material during the coming winter. 



A considerable amount of scientific work has been accomplished 

 during the year, as will be seen from the foUowing paragraphs quoted 

 from the report of Dr. Howard: 



Mr. 1). \V. Coquillett has been engaged in monographing the Hies belonging to the 

 family Tachinida-, a group of parasitic Hies of great ecououiic importance. The 

 work is based largely upon Museum material, and has just been completed. It will 

 be published siiortiy as a special bulletin of the Departuient of Agriculture. Mr. 

 Coquillett has also nearly comi»leted a revision of the Simulida; in our collection. 



Mr. E. A. Schwarz is monographing the North American Psyllida-. The monograph 

 will be based entirely on the extensive collection of these insects in the National 

 Museum. 



Mr. W. H. Ashmead is monographing the Hymenopterous family Braconida>, and 

 hopes to complete the work this fall. During his studies he has identified and 

 rearranged (be collection of these insects in the Museum. Ho has also studied the 

 NAT MUS 97 4 



