INTRODUCTION 



The office of State Entomologist of Illinois was established by an 

 act of the Legislature, approved and in force March 9, 1867, by 

 which the Governor was authorized to appoint "by and with the 

 consent of the Senate some competent scientific person as State 

 Entomologist, who shall hold the appointment for two years and 

 until his successor shall be appointed." This officer was required 

 to investigate the entomology of Illinois, and particularly to study 

 "the history of the insects injurious to the products of the horticul- 

 turists and" agriculturists of the State ;" and was directed to "collect 

 and preserve a cabinet of insects to be deposited at the Ilhnois In- 

 dustrial University." He was required to "prepare a report of his 

 researches and discoveries in entomology for publication by the 

 State annusally ;" and his salary was fixed at the sum of |2000 per 

 annum. 



The first appointee under this law was Benjamin Dane Walsh, of 

 Kock Island, nominated by Governor Oglesby, June 11, 1867, at an 

 extra session of the Legislature. The Senate, however, declined to 

 act on the Governor's nominations at this special session, adopting, 

 June 13, a resolution postponing such action until the next regular, 

 meeting of the General Assembly, and Mr, Walsh's appointment was 

 therefore not completed. 



He nevertheless entered at once on the duties of the office, and 

 prepared a report for the year 1867 as "Acting State Ento- 

 mologist," which he submitted, not to the Governor, but to the 

 State Horticultural Society. This report was published in 1838 as 

 an appendix to Volume I of the new series of the Transactions of 

 the Society (for 1867), and an unknown number of copies were also 

 issued separately, in pamphlet form, with a slightly different title 

 page. 



At the next regular session of the Legislature, an act was passed 

 "for the relief of the State Entomologist" (in force March -.5, 1569) 

 which recognized Mr. Walsh's appointment "and the fnithful dis- 

 charge of his full duties from the date of his nomination," directed 

 "that he should receive the compensation provided by the statute 

 under which he was appointed, as full compensation for his services 

 from and after June 11, 1867, and until otherwise provided by 

 law," 



On the 12th November, 1869, Mr. Walsh died from the effects of 

 a railway accident, without presenting any other report than that 

 for 1867, already mentioned. 



