250 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES [Proc. 4th Sek. 



binding of serial publications in a scientific library is always an important 

 and considerable item in the fixed charges of the institution and it is rarely 

 advisable to postpone such expenditures too long or the binding of the ac- 

 cumulated volumes may become a serious problem. 



Department of Entomology 

 By Edward P. Van Duzee, Curator 



I beg to submit the following report on the condition and work in the 

 Department of Entomology for the current fiscal year, including a few 

 suggestions for the ensuing year. 



My appointment as curator of this department took effect on June first, 

 1916, and on assuming the duties of the position I found the collections of 

 the department unorganized and unarranged, although well cared for and 

 in excellent condition. The first work done was the fumigation of the 

 laboratory with hydrocyanic acid gas to kill museum pests introduced into 

 the room with the Galapagos tortoises that had been temporarily stored 

 there. Suitable book shelving was then erected, the books pertaining to 

 the department were brought in from the main library, and the scientific 

 apparatus and property of the department was unpacked and made avail- 

 able for use. 



The collection of insects was found to be in almost perfect condition 

 with practically no infestation by museum pests. There were about 200 

 trays well filled with mounted specimens and about 60 trays filled with 

 unmounted material in boxes and papers. A portion of the mounted ma- 

 terial had been properly labelled for locality and collector, but the larger 

 part was without such labels. It has been my first duty to get this 

 material labelled so it can be made available for study and exhibition. 

 Many thousands of these labels have been printed and attached to the speci- 

 mens and this work is now nearing completion, so the arrangement and 

 classification of the collection can soon be begun. 



During the year 4859 specimens have been added to this department by 

 gift or through collections made by myself, and these have all been 

 mounted and properly labelled. Very little field work was done during the 

 year. I spent one day at Los Banos, two at or near Mt. Diablo and three 

 in Lake County. On the last two trips I went as the guest of Mr. W. M. 

 Giffard, so the total expense to the department for all trips was but $6.75. 

 I also spent two days collecting about San Diego, a few hours at Man- 

 hattan Beach, Los Angeles, and took several Sunday trips about the Bay 

 district without expense to the department. The total accessions from 

 these collecting trips number 1976 specimens. 



During the year two collections have been sent to specialists for study. 

 The Orthoptera of the Galapagos Expedition were sent to Messrs. Hebard 

 and Rehm and the Plusiini to Dr. Ottolengui. 



A portion of my time during the past year was devoted to the study and 

 determination of insects for correspondents of the Academy and to the 

 publication of a bibliographical and synonymic Catalogue of the Hemiptera 



