LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 



U. S. Department of Agriculture, 



Division of Entomology, 

 Washington, D. (7., February 20, 1904. 

 Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith for publication an 

 account of the Mexican cotton boll weevil, prepared under my direc- 

 tion by Messrs. W. D. Hunter and W. E. Hinds, special field agents 

 of this Division. Mr. Hunter has been engaged for three years in 

 investigations of this very important injurious insect, his work extend- 

 ing all through the infested portions of Texas and to some extent into 

 Mexico. Mr. Hinds for two years has been devoting his whole time 

 to this subject, having been stationed for the most part at Victoria, 

 Tex. , in charge of laboratory work. The bulletin as a whole is a 

 remarkably careful and complete treatment of the entomological 

 aspects of the investigation. It seems to me as complete a treatise of 

 the life history of a single species as has ever been published. The 

 necessity for the most perfect knowledge of every detail of the habits 

 of this great enemy to the cotton crop must be obvious, since only 

 upon such perfect knowledge can we authoritatively base remedial 

 work and can we authoritatively indicate the uselessness of many of 

 the remedies proposed by ingenious and inventive persons. The six- 

 teen half-tone and other plates and six text figures are an essential 

 part of the report. 



I recommend the publication of this paper as Bulletin No. 45 of 

 this Division. 



Respectfully, L. O. Howard, 



Entomologist. 

 Hon. James Wilson, 



Secretary of Agriculture. 

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