4 SECOND REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



midwinter, while the fields were still largely covered with snow, in some 

 of the southern counties of the State, excited apprehension of serious 

 depredations from their multiplication in the spring and summer. As- 

 surance was given that such fears were groundless, and that the prema- 

 ture appearance of the insect — brought out from hibernation by some 

 warm days in February — would only tend to their destruction, and a 

 consequent diminution of their number and of their injuries in the 

 coming season. An account of the grasshopper, Chiniarocephala viridi- 

 fasciata will be given in the^present report. 



A notable event in the autumn of 1883, was the discovery for the 

 first time in injurious numbers in the State of New York, of the chinch- 

 bug, Blissus leucoptcrus (Say) — one of the most dreaded of our insect 

 pests. Its attack was made upon clover, and so severe was it, that many 

 acres of meadow were destroyed in the localities where it made its 

 demonstration. Fortunately the fears that were entertained of its 

 continuance and increase in the following years, were not realized. It 

 has, however, shown its ability at any time when favorable conditions 

 are offered it, of entering upon our grass and grain lands and occasion- 

 ing severe losses. Several pages of this report have therefore been 

 devoted to the consideration of its natural history, habits, its injuries, 

 etc., with the view of presenting such information as will be found of 

 service in meeting its possible future visitations. 



In conclusion, the Entomologist desires to express his regret that the 

 figures illustrating this report are not of the number, and some of them, 

 not of the character, needed for its proper illustration. Under the existing 

 arrangements for the printing of the State reports, the number and the 

 style of execution of the figures that may be introduced, are under the 

 control of the State Printers. To this reason it is owing that the orig- 

 inal figures contained in the present report are comparatively few. The 

 following have been engraved for it: Figs. 3, 6a, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 21, 

 22, 23, 25, 26, 34, 36, 40, 41, 42, 43, 50, 52, 53, 55, 56, 57. The remain- 

 ing ones are from electrotypes obtained from various sources, most 

 of which are indicated in the figures and need not, therefore, be sepa- 

 rately mentioned. Many of them will be familiar to entomologists, who 

 do not need their aid; but they cannot but prove new and serviceable to 

 a large portion of our agricultural community, for whom this report is 

 specially prepared. Many years must elapse before good figures of any 

 of our common and more destructive insect pests can be repeated so often 

 that a general familiarity with them and the species that they represent 

 in nature, shall render their further repetition useless. 



Respectfully submitted, 



J. A. LINTNER. 

 Office of the State Entomologist, ;_ 

 Albany, March 10, 1885. \ 



