4 
promptly fatal under laboratory conditions closely similar to those obtaini 
in the field. A laboratory study of this disease, and of the organism chara 
terizing it, was completed by my assistant in this department, Mr. B. 1 
Duggar, and his paper on the subject is now going through the press. 
During the present season particular attention has been given to a new di 
ease of the army worm, which had the effect to destroy the greater part « 
the individuals composing an outbreak of this species early in the prese1 
year; and to a critical study of occurrences connected with a general disa 
pearance of the chinch-bug, or the marked diminution of its numbers, i i 
regions where it was abundant last year, and where it made a threatenin 
beginning this spring. Careful and systematic studies have been made 1 
determine, so far as practicable, the precise causes of this diminution in nun 
bers in the field, and particularly to ascertain whether contagious disease: 
bacterial or other, not hitherto detected, were now discoverable. The result 
have been thus far either negative or incomplete, the death of chinch- -bug 
being due, so far as observed and determined, either to the direct effect : 
the weather of the season or to one or both of the two contagious diseases ¢ 
that insect thus far known to us. Some of our experiments are, howevel 
still incomplete, and certain clues in my possession, when followed out, ma 
possibly lead to other conclusions. | 
The work of the Biological Experiment Station has made very satisfactor 
progress under somewhat embarrassing conditions, due especially to insuff 
ciency of funds for the continuous maintenance of our work on the seal 
originally planned. The equipment fund has all been expended in the build 
ing and furnishing of a laboratory boat as a field headquarters and students 
laboratory, in the purchase of a launch and in the substitution of mor 
powerful machinery for that originally furnished with it, and in the purchas 
or manufacture of various pieces of apparatus required for our peculiar work 
Owing to the practical exhaustion of funds, the laboratory boat, establishe 
for the summer on Quiver Lake, was brought down to Havana September “A 
1896, and placed, together with the launch, in charge of our general Statio 
assistant, Mr. Newberry, who takes the responsibility of the care and protec 
tion of all our Station property during the fall and winter at a salary of $21 
a month. The work of the Station is not, however, completely suspended 
the Superintendent, Dr. Kofoid, visiting Havana once a fortnight for th 
usual systematic round of observations, collections, and other operations, a 
the various substations in our field. i 
The Station bills are all paid except a few recently received, in process” 
payment now, and there is a comfortable balance in the appropriations 
the current year beyond those covered by expenditures to which we are cor 
mitted. In accordance with your authorization at your last meeting I ha 
tion Superintendent at his former salary, to June 30, 1897. 
Full particulars concerning the scope of our operations, the amount anc 
character of the work done, the results now ready for report, the pape 
