REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST I915 I3 



H.Lw., in widely separated localities in the country. These European 

 midges deposit their eggs upon the young growth and when abundant 

 may produce such marked deformations as to render the plants 

 practically valueless. Studies have been made of this insect and 

 its habits and an extended account is given in the body of the report. 



Our studies of the gall midges have been continued and a number 

 of new species, mostly reared, and several new genera described. 

 One of the more important papers relating to this group and pub- 

 lished during the past year, appeared in the Proceedings of the 

 United States National Museum and describes a number of exotic 

 species and contains a revised tabulation for the separation of the 

 genera in the Asphondyliariae. 



Lectures. The Entomologist has delivered a number of lectures 

 on insects, m.ostly economic species, before various agricultural 

 and horticultural gatherings, some of them being in cooperation 

 with the bureau of farmers' institutes or county farm bureau agents. 

 Several lectures have also been given under the auspices of local 

 improvement associations. 



Publications. A number of brief, popular accounts regarding 

 such common pests as- the apple and forest tent caterpillars, pear 

 thrips, white grubs, etc., have been widely circulated through the 

 press. A list of the more important publications of the year is 

 given in this report. 



Faunal studies. The investigations along these lines have been 

 continued and the manuscript list of the insects of the Adirondack 

 region, based mostly upon material in the State collection, is nearly 

 ready for publication. This list is a growing one, additions being 

 constantly made thereto in connection with other work carried on 

 within the limits. of this faunal area, such as the study of grass- 

 hoppers noted above. 



Collections. The assembling and preparation of the enlarged 

 exhibit of insects has required much time and necessarily prevented 

 very desirable work in the arrangement and classification of the 

 reference collections. Additions to these latter are constantly being 

 made, especially of specimens representing the early stages and work 

 of various injurious forms, since biological material of this character 

 greatly facilitates identification of the different insects and is indis- 

 pensable in a well-prepared exhibit illustrating the life histories of 

 different species. The State collection now contains a large amount 

 of material which is invaluable because of the associated data. 

 Numerous microscopic preparations of smaller insects have been m.ade 

 and incorporated in the collections as in earlier years. 



