REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST [Oj6 1 5 



identification of the different insects and is indispensable in a well- 

 prepared exhibit illustrating the life histories of different sp 

 Several special collecting trips in connection with grasshopper or 

 other investigations were made by Mr D. B. Young and resulted 

 in securing a considerable number of very desirable specimens. 

 The identification of this material, especially of the crane flies or 

 Tipulidae, has been taken advantage of to rearrange this interesting 

 and hitherto largely neglected family. The state collections now 

 contain a large amount of material which is invaluable because of 

 the associated data. Numerous microscopic preparations of smaller 

 insects have been made and incorporated in the collections as in 

 earlier years. 



A number of very desirable additions have been made by exchange, 

 notably those from Mr Paul B. Sears of Columbus, Ohio, Mr W. J. 

 Chamberlin of Corvallis, Ore., and Mr J. R. Malloch of Urbana, 111. 

 The species acquired are listed with the other accessions. 



The need of additional boxes or trays referred to in previous 

 reports still exists. The wooden cases containing the insect collec- 

 tions should be replaced by steel cabinets and more provided to 

 accommodate the extra boxes and trays required. No adequate 

 provision has as yet been made for the constantly increasing bio- 

 logical material, which is also true of the large number of micro- 

 scopic slides, many of them containing types of species and genera 

 and therefore unique. A metallic filing case for the collection of 

 negatives and photographs illustrating insects or other work is also 

 greatly needed. 



Office. The assistant state entomologist has been in charge of 

 the office and responsible for correspondence and other matters 

 during the absence of the Entomologist. The usual routine work, 

 except as mentioned, above, has fully occupied the time of various 

 members of the staff. 



Nursery inspection. The nursery inspection work of the State 

 Department of Agriculture has resulted in a number of specimens 

 representing various stages of insect development, some in very 

 poor condition, being submitted to this office for identification. 

 As such material may originate in a foreign country, determinations 

 of this character are laborious and require for their successful prose- 

 cution a large collection and an excellent library of both domestic 

 and foreign works. The correct identification of such material is 

 important, since the disposal of an entire shipment of nursery stock 

 must depend in considerable measure upon the character of the 

 infestation. 



