1901 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 125 



establish an Entomological Bureau for the lasting benefit of the great agricultural interests of 

 the country. C. J. S. B. 



Otto Lugger. 



The ranks of American economic entomologists have suffered a serious loss through the 

 death of Otto Lugger, State Entomologist of Minnesota. He died on the 21st of May, 1901, 

 from pneumonia, after a very short illness, in the 57th year of his age. From Dr. L. O. How- 

 ard's obituary notice in Science the following particulars have been gathered. Mr. Lugger 

 was born at Hagen, Westphalia, his father being a professor of chemistry in a Prussian univer- 

 sity. In 1865 he came with his parents to the United States, and obtained a position in the 

 Engineer Corps of the Army ; he was engaged for two years in a survey of the Great Lakes. 

 He had always been interested in entomology, and collected specimens during his engineering 

 work. Becoming acquainted with Dr. C. V. Riley at Chicago, he went with him to St. Louis as 

 assistant on his appointment to be State Entomologist of Missouri in 1868. For eight years he 

 continued to be Dr. Riley's "quiet, unassuming, self-sacrificing and devoted helper." At the 

 end of this period he married and removed to Baltimore, where he became the Curator of the 

 Maryland Academy of Science and naturalist of the city parks. Ten years later, in 1885, he 

 was appointed assistant in the Division of Entomology of the U. S. Department of Agriculture 

 and remained in Washington for three years ; he then became Entomologist to the State Agri- 

 cultural Experimental Station of Minnesota and continued to hold this position till his death a 

 few months ago. 



" His first entomological experience in the State of Minnesota was one of great interest and 

 importance, and his vigorous and intelligent action in the face of a great emergency fixed his 

 standing as a most useful oflicer firmly in the minds of the Minnesota farmers. An enormous 

 swarm of the Rocky Mountain locust, or western migratory grasshopper, had settled down in 

 Ottertail County. By Lugger's advice and energetic field work, backed as he was by a public 

 spirited and intelligent Governor (Hon . W. R. Merriam, now director of the U. S. Census), 

 who personally guaranteed the funds necessary for the campaign, the hordes of destructive in- 

 sects were annihilated and great damage was averted. " 



From that time on, for nearly 13 years, he continued his active work, issued frequent pub- 

 lications, and gained the profound respect of his constituents and of the scientific men of the 

 country. His more important works were a series of profusely illustrated papers on the differ- 

 ent orders of insects found in the State ; the parts he was enabled to publish were on the Para- 

 sites of Man and Domestic Animals, the Orthoptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Hemiptera of 

 Minnesota. At the time of his death he was preparing the parts on Diptera and Neuroptera, 

 which, it is hoped, may have been left sufficiently advanced for publication. The series, if he 

 had lived to complete it, would have formed an admirable manual of Entomology for the Western 

 States, and of use to naturalists everywhere ; they were written in a clear and interesting man- 

 ner, and prepared with great care and accuracy. He was also a good botanist, and published 

 several useful papers on plant diseases. 



In 1899 Mr. Lugger, accompanied Dr. Fletcher in an investigation of the areas in south- 

 ern Manitoba which were infested by the Rocky Mountain Locust during the preceding year, 

 and aided him in the discovery of eggs and freshly emerged young locusts near Deloraine. He 

 also joined with Dr. Fletcher in addressing a number of meetings of farmers in different parts 

 of the province. 



He is described by Dr. Howard as "a man o^ admirable qualities ; his wide information, 

 his agreeable personality, and his keen sense of humour, made him a most delightful companion. 

 Many of his stories and humorous sayings are current among entomologists all over the United 

 States, and his loss will be felt for many years to come." 



