Vol. VIII] EVERMANN— DIRECTOR'S REPORT FOR 1918 333 



this department. Until we know our home insect.s we can he of Httle service 

 to enquiring beginners in entomology; nor can we make our work inter- 

 esting to the general public or properly carry on the investigations of a 

 more technical nature which devolve upon this department of the Academy. 

 Additions to the department of entomology during the past year number 

 17,152 specimens of which 7,477 were received as gifts from friends of the 

 Academy and 9,675 were added by the labors of the curator. The principal 

 gifts of the year were : from Dr. F. E. Blaisdell, 1888 specimens of beetles 

 which added 879 species to the Academy collections; from Mrs. Helen 

 Van Duzee, 1387 spiders, mostly from California ; from Dr. E. C. Van 

 Dyke, 1280 specimens, largely from Canada and the east ; and from Mr. 

 C. L. Fox, 653 specimens, including a fine series of mounted moths. Other 

 contributors to this department include Prof. H. F. Wickham of the 

 University of Iowa; Mr. J. O. Martin, now of Berkeley; Mr. Louis Slevin 

 of Carmel, California ; Mr. J. A. Kusche and Mr. M. F. Blasse of San 

 Francisco; Mr. Ralph Hopping of Berkeley, and Dr. Barton W. Evermann, 

 Mr. J. R. Slevin and Mr. John I. Carlson of the Academy staff. The 

 field work of the curator included a four weeks' trip in Shasta and Siski- 

 you counties, California, and Jackson County, Oregon, the principal locali- 

 ties being Caton, McCloud and Sisson, California, and Colestin, Oregon, 

 and three-day trips to Los Baiios, Sacramento, Mt. St. Helena and Caza- 

 dero, California. In all but the Los Baiios trip he was assisted by his wife, 

 Mrs. Helen Van Duzee, who, in addition to the spiders already mentioned, 

 took many interesting insects which were added to the collections of the 

 Academy. 



In reviewing the work accomplished during the past year on the collec- 

 tions of insects we note that the arrangement of the Coleoptera, or beetles, 

 and the determination of the species, is now nearly completed, thanks to 

 the kind assistance of our local students of this order. Early in the year 

 Prof. F. C. Fall of Pasadena worked up the snout-beetles then in our 

 possession; Mr. Ralph Hopping of Berkeley has revised the family Ipidse 

 comprising the bark beetles, adding from his own collection many species 

 that were lacking, and Dr. E. C. Van Dyke has revised the Buprestidje, 

 determining the specimens added during the previous year, and bringing 

 this family, which comprises the flat-headed wood-borers, fully up to date. 

 The bulk of the work on the Coleoptera has, however, been done by Dr. 

 F. E. Blaisdell, to whom the Academy is deeply indebted for his efficient 

 and untiring efforts for more than a year past. He has determined or 

 revised and arranged our material in 53 families of beetles, filling 76 of the 

 large insects trays used by the Academy, completing the work on this order 

 of insects with the exception of three families which are now "in the 

 works." Some idea of the magnitude of the task he has so nearly com- 

 pleted may be gathered from the fact that the Academy collection of named 

 North American beetles now numbers 11,625 specimens, representing 2,187 

 species. 



In the Hymenoptera, which embraces the bees, wasps and ants, Dr. J. C. 

 Bradley completed a preliminary study of the various families of the wasps 

 before his return to Cornell University last spring. The Diptera, or two- 



