Entomology. 261 
joint. The young insect pierces the stem in this place, where it is 
tender, and, sucking the juice from it, causes it to shrink and all 
parts above the injury to die. It appears first each season upon 
June grass, and frequently, a short time after this grass has headed 
out, the fields will be yellow with the dead heads of the grass. 
Later, the insect spreads to timothy and the other grasses ; but it 
never becomes as common upon these as upon Poa pratensis. The 
Species obtains its growth within the sheath of the upper blade, at 
the point indicated above. After it has acquired wings it crawls 
forth from this secure retreat, and can be swept from the grass in 
great numbers. As yet I have been unable to complete the life- 
history of the species by determining the manner in which it passes 
the winter and the mode of oviposition. Neither have I been able 
to suggest any practicable method of preventing the increase of the 
species. At one time I thought that the early mowing of the in- 
fested grass, causing the infested stalks to dry and become unfit 
food for the young Thrips, would accomplish this purpose, but, 
later, I found the insects in question feeding upon leaves of grass. 
In the work referred. to above the species was designated as 
Limothrips poaphagus MSS., but reference was made only to the 
habits of the insect. A description of the species has not yet been 
published.—J. H. Comstock. 
PROBABLE INCREASE IN ENTOMOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS.— 
Although the United States has taken a very prominent position as 
regards investigations in economic entomology, the work which the 
Department of Agriculture at Washington and the few State Ento- 
mologists have been able to do has not at all been commensurate 
with the demands of the subject. The life-history of a very large 
Proportion of the insects that are of economic importance remains 
unknown. And we are unable, as yet, in many cases where the 
transformations of the insect are known to suggest any practicable 
Means of preventing its ravages. The field for investigation has 
been altogether too large to be at all thoroughly worked by the 
small number of workers employed. There is now, however, a 
Prospect of a change. The establishment by Congress of an agri- 
cultural experiment station in each of the States in connection with 
the agricultural colleges will result in a considerable addition to the 
a oe investigators in economic entomology. No one of the 
Sciences has a more immediate application to agriculture than ento- 
Soak » and doubtless entomological exy imei Pip ie a 
nent part of the work of the newly-established stations.— 
J. H. Comstock. nee | 
D THe Report or THE Stare Enromotoaist or N EW YORK.— 
` - Lintner’s report for the year 1886 has just appeared. It forms 
an Interesting volume of about seventy-five pages. It is, however, 
