58 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



on the shores of Sodus bay. The investigation started the past 

 season will be continued another year in an attempt to abate the 

 mosquito plague associated with swamps lying practically at lake 

 level. 



Gall midges. The European box leaf miner, ]^Ionarthro- 

 palpus buxi Lab., has become well established on Long Island 

 and is seriously injuring box hedges, since many badly infested 

 leaves drop and the plants soon become very scraggy. A series of 

 experiments has shown the practicability of destroying these miners 

 while still within the plant, by the use of fumigants, carbon bisul- 

 phide being the most promising. 



Studies in this group (Itonididae) have been continued, and a 

 number of new species, mostly reared, and several new genera 

 described. There have been a number of important additions in 

 this group to the New York fauna. The American zoophagous 

 species, mostly beneficial because of their preying upon other forms, 

 especially scale insects, plant lice and plant mites, have been tabu- 

 lated. This compilation shows a possible importance as natural 

 checks heretofore scarcely suspected. 



Lectures. The Entomologist has delivered a number of lectures 

 upon insects, mostly economic forms, 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 house fly, apple and forest tent cater- 

 pillars, the elm leaf beetle and June beetles, have been widely cir- 

 culated through the press. The more important publications of the 

 year are " The Gall ]\Iidge Fauna of New England," and several 

 papers describing new genera and species of gall midges. 



Faunal studies. The investigations of earher years along these 

 lines have been continued, and there is now in manuscript a list 

 of the insects of the Adirondack region, based mostly upon material 

 in the State collections. There was some special collecting in the 

 Adirondacks in connection with the investigation of grasshoppers 

 noted above, and Assistant State Entomologist Young continued 

 his studies of the fauna at Wells, paying special attention to the 

 hitherto largely neglected IMycetophilidae, and obtaining a number 

 of new species and also of known forms not previously recorded 

 from the State. 



