81 



and commencing in 1871, tliere were short articles on the injuries done 

 by insects, written by Dr. Nickerl, and between the years I80O and 

 1870 there were published a large number of similar reports, written 

 by Dr. Nickerl's father, Dr. Franz A. Nickerl, who died in 1871. These 

 reports were published by the elder Nickerl as a member of the K. K. 

 Patriotic-Economic Society of the Kingdom of Bohemia. In 1891 

 the State Agricultural Council of Bohemia was reorganized, and Dr. 

 Nickerl retired, with the effect of discontinuing the annual reports. In 

 the last of the reports, that for 1891, Dr. Nickerl gives a complete list 

 of the reports published by him and an index of all the insects treated 

 from the year 1875 to date. This list includes 108 species, of which 18 

 occur in this country, as introductions from Europe. The reports are 

 brief and are not illustrated. 



ITALY. 



The work which has been done by the Italian Government in the 

 encouragement of economic entomology perhaj)S surpasses that of any 

 other European nation. In the year 1875 the Royal Station of Agri- 

 cultural Entomology was established at Florence. The director of 

 the station was most wisely selected; Prof. Adolf Targioni Tozzetti, a 

 learned entomologist and a man of widespread reputation, wasappointed 

 to the position and was allowed two assistants. Since this beginning 

 the work of the station has been continuous. Through its active and 

 energeticlabors the agriculturists of Italy have been informed concerning 

 the vast majority of the insects of economic importance in the country. 

 The station i^ossesses a rich scientific library and a very large collec- 

 tion of economic insects. Its aims are practically identical with those 

 of the entomological offices of the experiment stations of our own coun- 

 try, and with those of the Division of Entomology of the U. S. Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. It is a correspondence bureau ; it endeavors by 

 original research to shed new light upon the problems of general eco- 

 nomic entomology, and to publish for the benefit of agriculturists its 

 own researches and those of private individuals. The station has 

 published a very large number of leaflets treating of entomological sub- 

 jects, as well as general reports for the years 1877-'78 (Florence, 1881); 

 1879-82 (Florence, 1884); and 1883-85 (Florence, 1888). It has pub- 

 lished also a separate work entitled Agricultural Orthoptera (Florence, 

 1882), and a large and useful volume entitled Animals and Insects of 

 Growing and Dry Tobacco (Florence, 1891). 



The publications of this station are too little consulted in this coun- 

 try. Prof. Targioni-Tozzetti has made a life-long study of the Coccidte, 

 and his articles upon this group of injurious insects possess the very 

 highest value. With the assistance of Dr. Giacomo del Guercio and 

 Dr. Antonio Berlese, he has conducted by far the most elaborate series 

 of experiments with insecticides, used mainly against the Coccid*, but 

 also against injurious insects of other groups, of which there is any 



