14 PROTECTION OF PLANTS, 1916-17 



The bulletins on the "Chinch Bug" by F. M. Webster (Bui. 15), and 

 the "Hessian Fly" by Herbert Osborn (Bui. 16), published in 1898 by the 

 U. S. Division of Entomology, deserve mention here. The authors deal 

 with economic insects of great importance in a monographic form, and in 

 many particulars nothing new has been added. 



Regarding the habits of the Chinch Bug the most recent investigations 

 of Forbes have yielded information of much value, while those of Webster 

 have enabled us to control more effectively the Hessian Fly. Neither bulle- 

 tin, however, has anything to tell us regarding the embryology of the insect 

 treated. 



Works Selected as Masterpieces 



Basing the selection of masterpieces on the three criteria already men- 

 tioned, I have limited the works entitled to such honour to "The Rocky 

 Mountain Locust" by Riley, Packard and Thomas; "The Gypsy Moth" 

 by Fernald and Forbush; "The Periodical Cicada" by Marlatt; "The Mexi- 

 can Cotton Boll Weevil" by Hunter and Pierce; and "The Spring Grain 

 Aphis or Green Bug" by Webster and Phillips. 



"The Rocky Mountain Locust" by Riley, Packard and Thomas 



This report of the U. S. Entomological Commission is in two volumes, 

 the first bearing the date 1877 and the second 1878-1879. As one looks 

 through these tw^o large volumes with their wealth of observations, their 

 luminous discussions of the habits and movements of the insect, and the 

 large number of well-executed maps and illustrations he is amazed at their 

 thoroughness and fulness of treatment. They represent the best efforts of 

 three master-workers — each a specialist in his own line. A minute of the 

 first meeting in Washington after their appointment gives the division of 

 labor. Each was assigned a region for investigation. In addition, "to Mr. 

 Riley were assigned Biology and Natural History, Invertebrate Enemies 

 and Parasites (Insects, etc.), Remedies and Devices for the Destruction of 

 the Locust; to Mr. Packard, Anatomy and Embryology; to Mr. Thomas, 

 Geographical distribution. Enemies not entomological. Agricultural 

 Bearings of the Subject; and to Packard and Thomas conjointly, Connec- 

 tion of Meteorological Phenomena with the Migrations." 



The task was undoubtedly a large one, nevertheless it was well done. 

 No better discussions of the relations of the locust and its ravages to agri- 

 culture, of the laws governing the migrations of locusts, and of the influence 



