701 
No. 145.] 
As our State has had a thorough examination made of all 
branohes of its natural history except its insects, it is of the 
highest importance that the remaining branch—not less in im¬ 
portance than the others—should receive attention. The com¬ 
mittee feel assured that in the selection of Dr. Fitch they have 
secured a person every way competent to discharge the duties 
imposed in a manner oreditable to the Society and the State. 
In carrying out this examination it is desirable that equal pro¬ 
minence be given to economical as to scientific entomology, that 
being the part of this science which is specially important to the 
community at large. It has been objeoted to the volumes of the 
natural history of this State, that they are too purely scientific in 
their character to be of special value to the great mass of our 
citizens, and in the work now to be performed it is obvious that 
it will be of very little consequence to know that a particular 
kind of moth or fly is an inhabitant of this State, unless we ane 
also informed of its history and habits, and whether it is a depre¬ 
dator upon any substance which is of value to man. The habits 
and instincts of our insects are a proper subject for inquiry as 
much as their names and the marks by which they are distin¬ 
guished from each other. The whole history of ever y noxio us 
species should at least be traced out as ttilly as circums tance^ vdtf 
permit. 
-The examiner is therefore directed, in the first place, to make 
for the present season, the insects which infest our fruit trees the 
leading object of examination. Those infesting our forest trees, 
our grain and other crops, our garden vegetables, our animals, &c., 
will remain to be particularly studied hereafter. The examiner 
is desired in his examinations to search out every insect which is 
a depredator upon our apple, plum, pear, cherry, peach and other 
fruit trees, and study out all the facts in the history of each spe¬ 
cies, both in its larva and in its perfect state, as far as he shall 
have opportunity to do it. In this way a broad foundation will 
be laid to which additions can be made, which future observa¬ 
tions may show to he necessary. 
