ENTOMOLOGICAL REPORTS OF DR. FITCH. 293 



festing oar fruit-trees should be devoted to collecting and classifying the insects 

 of the State, and to naming and describing such species as have not been de- 

 scribed. 



A report to be prepared at the end of the season, to be submitted to the Legis- 

 lature, showing what lias been accomplished during the season, to be divided 

 into two parts. The first, upon economical entomology, giving an account of 

 all that has been ascertained respecting the insects infesting our fruit-trees, and 

 any other injurious species that may have been obtained. The second, upon 

 scientific entomology, giving a systematically arranged catalogue of all the in- 

 sects of the State, so far as they are known, with a brief description of such new 

 and undescribed as may be discovered. 



The work should be pursued with a view of eventually securing to the State 

 as full and complete accounts of all the insects of this State as far as to place this 

 important science (which is at the present so greatly in the background, and so 

 partially and imperfectly explored upon this side of the Atlantic) in as perfect a 

 position and as favorable a situation for being acquired as its nature will admit 

 of. Should there be time, in addition to the above, to perform other labor, it is 

 desired. 



Tldi'dly: That a commencement should be made in writing out full descriptions 

 of the species pertaining to some particular order, with observations upon the 

 time of appearing, habits, etc., with a view of future publication, so as to secure 

 a complete account of all the insects of the State pertaining to that order. 



Lastly: Suits of specimens to fully illustrate both the economical and scientific 

 entomology of the State should be gathered in connection with the other parts 

 of this work, to be placed in the Cabinet of Natural History ; and in the Agri- 

 cultural Museum, specimens of the wood, leaves, and fruits, and other substances 

 depredated upon by each and every species of our noxious insects, showing the 

 galls or other excrescences which they occasion, the holes or burrows which they 

 excavate, the webs or other coverings for themselves which they construct, with 

 preserved specimens of the worms, caterpillars, etc., by which each of these de- 

 formities is produced. 



Such further examinations as Dr. Fitch may deem necessary to carry out fully 

 the objects desired to be accomplished, as from time to time may be deemed ad- 

 visable, the committee desire may be made. 



[Signed] WILLIAM KELLY, 



B. F. JOHNSON, 



Committee. 



Under the aboYe appointment and instructions, Dr. Fitch presented 

 to the State Agricultural Society, his First Report on the Noxious, 

 Beneficial and Other Insects of the State of New York, bearing date of 

 March 14, 1855. It was published in the Volume of the Society's 

 Transactions for 1854, in the year 1855. The Keport having received 

 the approbation and high commendation of a committee of the State 

 Agricultural Society, and also a select committee of the Legislature to 

 whom it was referred {see Trans. N. Y. 8. A. S. for 1854, pp. G93-700), 

 the continuance of the appropriation for carrying on the Entomo- 

 logical work was asked of the Legislature. It was granted, and an- 



