John Marten, and one to office entomology, Mr. C. A. Hart; an 

 amanuensis, Miss M. J. Snyder; ^nd a janitor. Drawing and other 

 miscellaneous assistance is variously provided for according to cir- 

 cumstances. 



Our operations may be conveniently reported under the heads. 

 Investigation, Office Work, Publication, and General Educational 

 Work. 



INVESTIGATION. 



The original investigations of the Laboratory now run along three 

 general lines, never wholly distinct, but still usually distinguishable, 

 — those of general zoology, entomology, and cryptogamic botany. 



General Zoology. 

 Our researches in general zoology have been chiefly directed, 

 during the past two years, to the aquatic animal life of the State, 

 which we are studying systematically both in detail and as a whole, 

 working at the identification, description, and illustration of the 

 species; at their distribution, haunts, food, and habits; at their rela- 

 tions to each other where they are thrown together, as in the same 

 lake or stream; at their relations to nature generally, as determined 

 by climate, season, quantity and quality of water, and the like; and 

 at their relations to man as affecting the maintenance and increase of 

 the food supply derived or derivable from the waters of the State, — 

 aiming thus to present finally a picture of the aquatic life of Illinois, 

 both plant and animal, in a form suited to attract the interest of the 

 intelligent citizen, to instruct the student, and to contribute to the 

 economic welfare of the State. Our work in this direction has lately 

 come into close and, I hope, mutually helpful relation t^ tluit of the 

 State Fish Commission, as I shall show more fully when reporting 

 upon the investigations of the present season. 



Field work on our aquatic zoology has fallen chiefly to Prof. 

 Garman, Mr. Hart, and myself. In 1887 we thoroughly studied 

 several of the smaller lakes of northern Illiuois, and one of us spent 

 a fortnight on one of the larger lakes of southern Wisconsin, mak- 

 ing soundings, dredgings, and surface-net collections for compari- 

 son with those from the smaller lakes of the same series in our own 

 State. 



Large collections illustrative of the food of fishes were made 

 at Quiucy and Havana the latter part of the summer by Prof. 

 Garman and myself, the material thus obtained enabling me to 



