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aud 1880, which rival iu thoroughness and practicality the Missouri 

 reports of Prof. Riley aud those which were issued by the Department 

 after his resignation. The report for 1880 is marked by the publication 

 of the results of a preliminary investigation of the insects affecting 

 the orange, and more especially by an elaborate report upon scale 

 insects, Avhich formed the basis of the study of this important and very 

 destructive group of insects in this country. Upon the change of 

 administration in 1881, Prof. Comstock was retired, with a year's com- 

 mission as investigator, and Prof. Riley resumed charge of the govern- 

 mental entomological work. From that time until June, 1894, Prof. 

 Riley remained consecutively in office. The work which he has accom- 

 plished has been of the highest order, and has been largely instrumental 

 in placing the science of economic entomology in this country upon its 

 present sound footing. During the course of his administration of the 

 office he has j)ublished 12 annual reports, 31 bulletins, 2 special reports, 

 6 volumes of the iieriodical bulletin Insect Life, and a large number 

 of circulars of information. He has developed not only the scientific 

 side of the work, but also the practical side. Under his direction 

 advances have been made both in insecticides andinsectieide machinery, 

 which are of the most far-reaching importance. The earlier work of 

 Prof. Riley will be mentioned in another place, but it will be appropri- 

 ate to state here that no other name in the annals of North American 

 economic entomology stands out with the same prominence as his. His 

 work has been called epoch making, and this expression may be con- 

 sidered justified. His voluntary resignation at this time would be 

 greatly to be deploied, were it not for the fact that, with the restora- 

 tion of his health, which is confidently to be anticipated, he will resume 

 his labors — iu another capacity, it is true, but along entomological 

 lines and with undiminished vigor. 



Aside from the work of the Division of Entomology, the Gen- 

 eral Government has, upon one occasion only, provided for work in 

 economic entomology, as have so many other governments, by the 

 appointment of a special commission. The U. S. Entomological Com- 

 mission was founded, by authorization of an act of Congress approved 

 March 3, 1877, specifically to report upon the depredations of the Rocky 

 Mountain locust in the Western States and Territories and the best 

 practical method of preventing its recurrence, or guarding against 

 its invasions. The commission was attached to the U. !S. Geological 

 and Geographical Survey of the Territories under the charge of Prof. 

 F. V. Hayden, and the office of chief was filled by the appointment of 

 Prof. C. V. Riley by the Hon. Carl Schurz, then Secretary of the 

 Interior. The other members of the commission, also appointed by 

 the lionorable Secretary of the Interior, upon consultation with Prof. 

 Riley, were Dr. A. S. Packard, jr., of Massachusetts, secretary, and 

 Prof. Cyrus Thomas, of Illinois. The commission remained in existence, 

 supported by annual appropriations by Congress of varying amouuts, 



