26 COWAEATIVE ZO-OLOGY. [June, 



less importaut are sent by visitors who have been so interested 

 to fill the blanks of the collection. The most advanced part 

 of the biological collection are the Lepidoptera ; the beautifully 

 prepared specimens of European species by Mr. Brischke, are 

 especially attractive. The North American silk-moths have 

 been more or less completely worked out by the curator. 

 The Lepidoptera fill more than two cabinets, and considering 

 that many of the very common species are still wanting or to 

 be more fully arranged, it may be presumed that in a short 

 time twice as many cabinets will be necessary for this order 

 alone. 



The Pseudoneuroptera and Neuroptera, belonging mostly 

 to the collection deposited by the curator, are exceedingly 

 rich, and even without rival for some ,parts, as, for instance, 

 the white ants, the Phryganids, the Odonata. The collection 

 of white ants was considerably enlarged by Dr. Fr. Mtiller, 

 of Itajahy, in the province of St. Catarina, in Brazil, who is 

 now occupied with the study of this family. 



The other parts of the biological collection are also in great 

 need of a new arrangement, only prevented by lack of time. 

 The appointment of two young ladies to help in the depart- 

 ment will allow the curator to accelerate certain mechanical 

 parts of the work, formerly done by himself. 



The collection of galls is exceedmgly rich for North Amer- 

 ican species, mostly in published types. By exchange of 

 duplicates a similar collection for European species has been 

 obtained from the newest monogi'apher. Prof. G. Mayr, in 

 Vienna, Austria. The biological collections of Brischke con- 

 tain 400 species. The collection of galls, 400 numbers ; 

 galls' insects, 200 species, mostly types. The mines of Lep- 

 idoptera more than 100 species. 



The publication of these parts of the collection is to be 

 considered as the most important and most pressing work. 

 Mr. L. Cabot, having published the immature state of the 

 family of the Gomphina, has ready for publication, figures and 

 descriptions of the Aeschnina. Both papers contains for the 

 greater part entirely new forms, and are a very valuable addi- 

 tion to our knowledge of those insects. Such monographs 

 advance scientific classification in the surest way, and the 

 monograph of the Gomphina proves that the Gomphina and 



