12 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



the past summer made it necessary to control flies under camp 

 conditions, and at the request of Dr H. L. Van Winkle, the Ento- 

 mologist made a personal examination of Camp Whitman, Green- 

 haven, and submitted a series of recommendations for the control 

 of the house fly. 



A serious outbreak of infantile paralysis made it very desirable 

 to investigate thoroughly the possibility of flies or other insects act- 

 ing as carriers of this infection, and at the invitation of Dr Haven 

 Emerson, commissioner of health of New York City, the Ento- 

 mologist attended a conference for the purpose of outlining a fly 

 survey. This work is in charge of an entomologist employed by 

 the department of health of the city of New York and will be reported 

 upon in due time. 



Gall midges. It will be seen by referring to preceding paragraphs 

 that an unusual number of economic and comparatively unknown 

 species belonging to this group have been brought to attention 

 during the past year, and the probabilities are that there will be 

 more, rather than less, injury in the future by gall midges. 



The studies of these insects have been continued and a number 

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



As a result* of these investigations many insect galls have been 

 forwarded for identification and, as a matter of convenience, an 

 illustrated key to American insect galls has been prepared. This 

 tabulates over 1400 galls in relation to their food plants, gives 

 the principal characters of each deformity and a reference to the 

 best or more accessible description. The key has greatly facilitated 

 the identification of galls and it is believed that its publication 

 will materially increase the interest in this branch of natural history . 



Lectures. The Entomologist has delivered a number of lectures 

 on insects, mostly 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 welfare associations. 



Publications . A number of brief popular accounts regarding such 

 common pests as the apple tent caterpillar, pear thrips, white grubs 

 and grasshoppers have been prepared and widely circulated through 

 the press. Owing to delay in the printing of the report for 19 14, 

 two reports have been issued during the past year. A list of the 

 more important publications of the office is given in this report. 



The increased interest in agriculture and nature study resulted 

 in a large demand from school teachers for information relating to 



