24 FIRST ANKUAL REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOilOLOGIST. 



for the liberal appropriations male by Congre33 for this Division, 

 of $35,000 per annum, is securing for it, through its corps of trained 

 entomologists, a broad range of investigation and a large amount of 

 biological material. 



A recent circular (f-||j, N'o. 4) of the Smithsonian Institution an- 

 nounces that "Prof. C. V. Riley has deposited in the Museum [United 

 States National Museum] his extensive private collection of insects. 

 The collection comprises some 30,000 species and upward of 150,000 

 specimens of all orders. ****** rpi^g collection is chiefly 

 valuable for the large amount of material illustrating the life-histories, 

 habits, and economy of species, 3,000 of which are represented in one 

 or all of the preparatory states, either in liquid in separate boxes, or 

 blown and mounted dry with the imagines." 



Perhaps no one fact may be cited that will better show the progress 

 made in entomology in this country, than that in one of our museums 

 — the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Cambridge, Mass., is to be 

 found a biological collection that has not its equal in the world. For 

 this we are indebted to the recognition of the great importance of the 

 science by Louis Agassiz, shown in calling to the curatorship of the 

 Entomological Department of the Museum the distinguished Kuropeaa 

 entomologist. Dr. Hermann A. Hagen, and to the appreciation by 

 Alexander Agassiz of the work initiated, in retaining for its success- 

 ful prosecution the services of the able curator, in the face of unusual 

 efforts to recall him to his former home. The biological collection, 

 which the ability and zeal of Dr. Ilagen has brought together and so 

 admirably arranged for scientific study, was based upon extensive Eu- 

 ropean material. To this, large American collections have been added, 

 until it has become wonderful in extent, in variety, in fulness of illus- 

 tration, with an arrangement permitting of convenience of study and 

 insuring preservation, which it does not seem possible to improve. It 

 occupies, at present, twenty cabinets of eighteen drawers each. Three 

 hundred and fifteen drawers (of 16x19 inches — the size adopted by 

 the principal museums of Europe) are arranged for exhibition and 

 study, while fifty others are nearly ready for incorporation. 



The examination of the collection by one qualified to judge' of its 

 worth compels a regret that it must forever remain an unique. How 

 it would tend to the diffusion of knowledge could it but be multiplied 

 and distributed for study, like the impressions of a printed page. And 

 yet, the student, who appreciates the superiority of the natural object 

 for purpose of study over any representation of it, and who would best 

 learn what lessons may be taught by the proper assemblage and group- 

 ing by a master-hand of even otherwise worthless material, such as 

 deserted tenements, cast-off integumenta, excreta, chips, worm-eaten 



