272 Fqrty- fifth Report on the State Museum. 



most interesting operation of shedding their skins four times 

 (usually) during their growth, the construction of their cocoons 

 when they have attained maturity, or their wonderful transfor- 

 mation to the chrysalis stage in the butterflies, and the final 

 emergence from the pupa to the perfect-winged insect. Let 

 them see all this, and they are made of strange material if they 

 do not become entomologists for all future time. It will be a 

 pleasure for them to collect insects and to study their varied and 

 interesting habits, and to prepare collections which will adorn 

 your homes. If consisting largely of the more injurious forms 

 properly labelled and displayed, they would prove highly valua- 

 ble for the use and instruction of your farmers' clubs, illustrating 

 far better than figures can, the descriptions that your libraries 

 may contain. As a guide and an aid to the children's studies 

 put; in their hands a little volume recently published by Dr. 

 Packard, entitled, "Entomology for Beginners," in which they 

 may find directions for collecting, preserving, and rearing insects^ 

 besides much other matter which will be of value to them and 

 to yourselves, under the headings of "insects injurious and bene- 

 ficial to agriculture;" "insect architecture; " "the structure,, 

 growth and metamorphoses, and classification of insects," etc. r 

 etc. Not only will the study be a delight to them, but it will 

 serve, if properly pursued, as a means of mental discipline fully 

 equal to many of the disciplinary studies of the schools. It will 

 also place them in possession of knowledge which will better fit 

 them to meet the demands that will be made upon the agricul- 

 turist of the future. 



Procure and Study Recent Entomological Publications. — Eco- 

 nomic entomology, has within the last few years made rapid and 

 great advance. We, in the United States have been compelled to 

 study insect ravages — greater here than in any other part of the 

 world, and, as the consequence, the literature of applied ento- 

 mology is far superior to that of any other country. The inves- 

 tigations having been made largely through appropriations from 

 the general government or individual States, the publications 

 have lx k <'n distributed gratuitously, at the request usually of 



