State Museum of Natural History. 53 



berry, Gmjlmsacia resinosa. In it the fruit is commonly dull 

 black without any bloom, but in the variety it is of a shining jet 

 black and is readily distinguishable from the ordinary form. 

 Dishonest berry pickers sometimes take advantage of the similarity 

 in size and shape between this huckleberry and the black-fruited 

 variety of the chokeberr}'-, Pyriis arbutifoUa. They mix the two 

 fruits and the fraud is not likely to be detected till the taste reveals 

 it. The flavor of large quantities of canned berries is sometimes 

 spoiled by this reprehensible practice. 



Mr. P. H. Dudley, civil engineer of the N. ¥. C. and H. E. rail- 

 road, has, at my recfuest, communicated to me some of the results 

 of his investigations of the fungi destructive to wood. This is of 

 such great practical importance that I have added a copy of his 

 communication to this report. It is marked E. 



Very respectfully submitted. 



CHAS. H. PECK. 



Albany, December 6, 1887. 



