FOURTH REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR I907 8 1 



two gentlemen relate to a group which is of great economic import- 

 ance owing to its value as fish food. 



Gall midges. This group comprises among its members, sev- 

 eral insects of prime economic importance, such as the Hessian fly, 

 the wheat midge, pear midge and some other destructive forms. 

 Furthermore, there is every probability that some other of our 

 native species may become destructive in the near future. Our 

 investigations have already disclosed hitherto unsuspected injuries 

 by members of this group. We have succeeded in identifying 

 several European forms not previously known to occur in this 

 country. During the season we succeeded in rearing over 100 

 species, a considerable number of them proving to have been un- 

 described. The State collections in this group represent probably 

 over 600 species. We have already described over 250 new forms, 

 and it would not be surprising if, after working over the material, 

 there were nearly as many more to characterize in addition to those 

 pteviously described by other workers. The classification of the 

 American species has been in a chaotic state, making it practically 

 impossible to identify many of our forms. Our work, now well 

 in hand, will revise the classification of this group. 



The rearing of these insects requires much time and attention, 

 and the success achieved last season was due very largely to the 

 work of Assistant Entomologist D. B. Young. The collecting of 

 the insects and the galls in the field also requires considerable time, 

 and much of this work has been attended to by assistant I. L. Nixon. 

 Mr J. R. Gillett was engaged throughout the summer in making 

 microscopic mounts of these insects, some 2000 slides being pre- 

 pared. 



Publications. Numerous economic articles have been con- 

 tributed by the Entomologist to the agricultural and local press. 

 The large number of new species of Cecidomyiidae taken in 1907 

 made it advisable to issue preliminary descriptions of some, and a 

 paper' issued in advance of the report, entitled "New Species of 

 Cecidomyiidae," published January 30, characterizes 179 new 

 species. The second volume of Insects AflFecting Park and Wood- 

 land Trees, New York State Museum memoir 8, appeared Febmary 

 25 and has repeatedly proved its usefulness during the past season. 

 The demand for information respecting shade tree pests led to the 

 issuing of a special bulletin on the white marked tussock moth and 

 elm leaf beetle, Museum bulletin 109, which appeared May 10, while 

 the report of the Entomologist, owing to delays, was not issued till 

 July 16. 



