INTKODDCTION. 



in the course of the winter of 1871 and 1872, so as to have a tolerably 

 full suite of the insects of the State, in all the Orders, ready to be 

 transmitted to the Industrial Uniyersity in the spring of 1872. But 

 the element of fire, which is so terrible when beyond the reach of hu- 

 man control, has again thwarted my designs. The great conflagration 

 which laid the city of Chicago in ashes, included in its fatal embrace, 

 amongst many other fine buildings which were supposed to be fire- 

 proof, the Chicago Academy of Sciences, which contained the most val- 

 uable scientific treasures of the West, and amongst them, the exten- 

 sive collection of insects known as the Walsh Cabinet. When we con- 

 sider the many years which that indefatigable entomologist had devo- 

 ted to tne. accumulation of this collection, and still more when we take 

 into view the scientific research and the extensive correspondence and 

 exchanges, by which he had succeeded in attaching to almost every 

 specimen its correct scientific name, thus making it a standard of ref- 

 erence, not only for the entomologists of this State but of the country 

 generally— it is a difficult task for the lover of this science to reconcile 

 himself to this almost irreparable loss. It is a source of some conso- 

 lation that the greater part of ihe duplicates of Qoleoptera and Lepi- 

 doptem, which had been prepared for the Industrial University, had 

 not been returned to the academy, and therefore escaped the flames. 

 I had also at my residence two large drawers of the original cabinet, 

 containing the families Sta])hylinid(E, Eisteridm, Nitidulid(B, Ckryso- 

 melidm and Coccinellidm, making, in connection with the duplicates, 

 something like a tenth part of the whole collection. 



It will be observed that the pageing of this report is made continuous 

 with that of the preceding one. The object of this is to facilitate in- 

 dexing when a number of these reports shall be bound together in one 

 volume. 



I am indebted in this, as in the former report, to Mr. C. Y. Riley, 

 fjr the figures which xuastrate it, with the exception of those of the 

 two Willow insects, which were engraved by Baker & Co., of Chica- 

 go, and the bug-catching machine, at the end of the volume, which 

 was engraved at the office of the Prairie Farmer. 



1 have again to express my thanks to the managers of the leading 

 railroads of the State for free passes over these great thoroughfares. 



Respectfully submitted. 

 Geneva, December, 1871. WILLIAM LeBARON, 



State EntoTTwlogist. 



