1891.] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 45 



OBITUARY. 



Died, Dec. ii, 1S90, of typhoid fever, Jay Lee Smith, of South 

 Orange, N. J., aged 34 years. 



In the death of Mr. Smith, the Essex Co. Micros. Soc. of N. J. has 

 lost one of its most valuable members, and the microscopical fraternity 

 a genius in the manipulation of the instrument whose superior it will 

 be difficult to find. 



Possessed of means sufficient to satisfy almost any desire, and being 

 a lover of nature, he devoted a great part of his time to the study of the 

 little things which surround us in field and brook, and left many evi- 

 dences of his skill in microscopical preparations which others will en- 

 joy for years to come. Generous and noble-hearted as the day is long, 

 he was ready at all times apd with enthusiasm to enter into the work 

 of a fellow-student, helping with the means at his command to bring 

 to a successful issue what might otherwise have resulted in failure. 



His first systematic work in microscopy was upon the mosquito, and 

 he devoted considerable time to the study of its growth and develop- 

 ment. The embryo chick received a great deal of attention from him 

 as many will testify who have been fortunate enough to possess some 

 of his fine slides. In connection with another member of the Essex Co. 

 Soc, he made an exhaustive study of the anatomy of the earth-worm, 

 and prepared a valuable paper upon this svibject which was read before 

 the Society in June, 1SS7. 



One feature of Mr. Smith's work, which was apparent to all who 

 observed him, wastheextreme delicacy of his manipulation of the micro- 

 scope, and this, coupled with his knowledge of its possibilities, resulted 

 in making him foremost among those who have been able to utilize to 

 its fullest capacity that beautiful instrument. 



I 



MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETIES. 



St. Louis Club of Microscopists. — Frank Davis, Sedy. 



December^ 1890.— Dr. H. M. Whelpley read a paper containing 

 notes on the chigger, leptus irritans. 



It is no relation to the pulex penetrans of South America and the 

 West Indies. The latter insect is variously known as the chigger, jig- 

 ger, chiga, chigoe, chique, chic, chics, etc. It is a small insect of the 

 flea family {pulexce) , while the leptus irritants resembles the tick family 

 {ixodidce). The application of the name chigger to both animals has 

 caused some who are familiar with the South American insect, but not 

 the North American one, to suppose that I was in error when giving 

 the leptus iri'itans the vulgar name of " chigger." As this is the most 

 common name for the animal, I was obliged to accept it. 



I have also found another common name for the insect, as in some 

 localities it is known as the sea-tick. 



This pest to human beings is not confined to as small a section of the 

 United States as my first investigations indicated. The Eastern and 

 Southern States share with the Mississippi Valley in harboring it. I 



