8 
dition to the wall display there is to be a cabinet in which the spec¬ 
imens will be arranged systematically for the purpose of aiding in de¬ 
termining species. 
The few boxes of Mr. Walsh’s collection saved from the great fire 
have fallen into my hands as State Entomologist, asthey belong to the 
State. I have had, necessarily, to use some of these in arranging the 
collection for the museum, but in all cases the name given by Mr. 
Walsh has been retained, and each specimen so used has been marked 
with “Walsh,” ora “W.” This plan will be rigidly carried out in 
the further arrangement of the collection, even to the original short 
pins which he was so much in favor of; not a name will be changed 
even where.it may be considered erroneous (but Mr. Walsh made very 
few such mistakes), or where it may have become obsolete; new labels 
will be prepared, but the name will in all cases be copied exactly as 
found on his original label, which will be carefully preserved, attached 
to the specimen to which Mr. Walsh attached it. 
In addition to the work mentioned, you will see by reference to the 
transactions of the Illinois Horticultural Society for 1876, that I fur¬ 
nished the material for eighty-five of its pages, consisting of an 
account of our Plant-lice, and a paper on the value of birds as insect 
destroyers. 
In this connection I may as well mention the fact that I laid before 
the Horticultural Society of Northern Illinois, during their session at 
Franklin Grove, in the latter part of December, 1876, the draft of a 
bill for the better protection of our insect-eating birds, in order to 
receive the Society’s approval of it before presenting it to the Legis¬ 
lature. The following, copy from the proceedings of that meeting 
will show their action in reference to it, and also the contents of the 
bill: 
“ Prof. Thomas also forwarded the following text for a bill, which 
was also read; and this, together with the essay, was approved by a 
vote of the Societ} r , and the Secretary instructed to forward the bill 
to some member or members of the General Assembly, with the re¬ 
quest of the Society that it be enacted into a law.” 
A BILL for an Act to amend chapter 61 of the Revised Statutes of 1874, entitled “Game.” 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That 
chapter sixty-one of the Revised Statutes of 1874, entitled “Game” be amended bv the addition 
of the following section : 
Section 16. The County Court, in counties not adopting township organization, and the Board 
of Supervisors in counties adopting township organization, be and the same are herebv author¬ 
ized, whenever such Court or Board may deem it expedient to do so, to extend the time during 
which it shall be unlawful to destroy birds, as set forth in said statute. And the provisions of 
said statutes as to penalties, and in all other respects, so far as applicable, shall apply as fully and 
completely to any such destruction of birds during such extended time as thev now do to'such 
destruction during the time or times as limited in said first section of said statute.'” 
“Accompanying the text for a bill was a request from Prof. Thomas 
that the Society endorse the bill by resolution, if they agree to it, and 
forward it with such endorsement to some member or members of the 
General Assembly.” 
This letter was also read by the Secretary. 
“Mr. Galusha moved that a consideration of the proposition of Pi of. 
Thomas be made the special order of business for to-morrow at nine 
o’clock, which was agreed to.” 
The transactions for the next day, which was the second day of the 
meeting, show the following action : 
