Report of the President 45 



much of the identified material which we have for comparison 

 has not had the taxonomy brought up to date. 



During the summer Dr. Lutz carried on extensive field 

 work in the region around New York City. At a conservative 

 estimate he obtained about twenty thousand insects belonging 

 to at least fifteen hundred species. In this work Dr. Lutz was 

 fortunate in having the cordial cooperation of many noted 

 entomologists, among whom are Messrs. Sleight, Davis, Leng, 

 Love, Pollard, Harris, Schaeffer, Watson and Wintersteiner. 

 The results of this work are of high importance not only for 

 the survey of our surrounding territory but also for the larger 

 problems involving a comparison of the local fauna with insects 

 of other regions of the United States, Mexico, Central and 

 South America. 



The development of the Hall of Insect Life and of Local 

 Insects has progressed along the lines laid down last year with 

 extremely satisfactory results. When fully installed, the 

 exhibits in this hall will provide the student with a complete 

 outline of entomology and of insect biology; this cannot fail 

 to be of great service to the public and to the educational 

 system of New York City. 



Dr. Lutz has completed a monograph dealing with experi- 

 mental work upon Drosophila; this is now in the hands of the 

 Carnegie Institution for printing. Mr. Beutenmiiller has con- 

 tinued his work upon the North American species of insects 

 that produce galls; three papers have been published, and 

 others are in preparation, as well as an extensive monograph 

 on the Catocala. Professor Wheeler's splendid work on 

 "Ants" has appeared. This remarkable volume reflects great 

 credit upon the author and also upon the department and the 

 Museum, through his connection with the latter as an Honorary 

 Curator. 



GEOLOGY AND EXTINCT INVERTEBRATES 

 Edmund Otis Hovey, Curator 



Department of Geology and Invertebrate Palaeon- 

 tology. — The principal accessions during the past year have 

 been in the line of general and economic geology rather than 

 invertebrate palaeontology. Mention should be made of a large 



