82 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



become more interested in the various species. The exhibit at 

 the bureau of information at the Lion House is so successful 

 that the sale of specimens covers the cost of our collecting ex- 

 peditions for insects, and the purchase of all foreign specimens, 

 thus making the Insect Collection quite self-sustaining. 



Among the large and beautiful moths exhibited during the 

 past year were the Indian atlas moths (Attacus edivarcUi and 

 A. atkiH) ; the Indian and African luna moths (Arf/as selene and 

 A. mimosae) ; the Japanese silk moths {Antheria ijama-niaia 

 and A. mylitta) ; the Mexican silk moth (Attacus oiizaba) ; and 

 the North American silk-spinning moths such as the Cecvopia, 

 Pohjphemus, Cynthia, Pi-omethea and Luna. 



Owing to the continued success of the series of singing in- 

 sects, this feature will be made a permanent one; and it suggests 

 a new source of interest for the school children. It is among the 

 OrtJioptera — the order of insects embracing the cricket and 

 the locusts — that we find the predominating species of singing- 

 insects. Over a dozen species of these were displayed during the 

 summer. 



The life history of the mosquito, and of its numerous ene- 

 mies, stands as a permanent and very instructive exhibit during 

 the summer months. It is our intention to exhibit in full detail 

 and with descriptive labels, any type of insect exciting local 

 interest through unusual abundance, or a tendency to harm tree 

 foliage or farm products. Following this plan, the appearance 

 of the seventeen-year locust, in the late spring and early summer 

 of 1911, received special attention, and a number of expeditions 

 were made to districts where the swarms were of the greatest 

 magnitude. During the latter part of May, countless thousands 

 of the Cicada Hcpiendecim, which requires a period of seventeen 

 years to pass through the larval form, appeared over a great 

 portion of the eastern United States. The woods resounded with 

 a continuous hum made by the males, while the ground, whence 

 immature forms had emerged to immediately cast their skin, 

 was honey-combed with burrows. Considerable damage followed 

 the appearance of this swarm, caused by the ovipositor of the 

 female "locust" in inserting her eggs under the bark of the 

 terminal portion of the limbs of trees. In a number of areas, 

 the fruit trees were quite seriously affected, the apple trees 

 suffering most. A detailed description of the return of the 

 seventeen-year locust in 1911, appears in the Zoological Society 

 Bulletin of July, 1911, (No. 46). A complete life history of this 

 Cicada was placed on exhibition, together with a number of 



