building requires the use of several volumes of the register simultaneously. This will explain why the following table is necessary to show the total registration for the entire year. The formal registration (with the gaps alluded to) terminates June 30, 1891, with number 122524. REPORT ON THE DEPARTMENT OF INSECTS By C. V. RILEY, Honorary Curator, During the past fiscal year no important changes have been made in the exhibit collections of the Department, but the reserve collections in the laboratory have been steadily improved to facilitate the access, and increase the attractiveness and utility to students. Many important accessions have been received during the year, of which the following are worthy of mention: About 63 species of insects of all orders collected in Angola and St. Thome, Africa. from H. Chatelain, 219 Four and a half street, Washington, D. C. (Acc. 23400.) A large collection of African insects of all orders from Dr. W. L. Abbott, 1926 Chestnut street, Philadelphia, Pa. These were collected mostly between Mombasa and Killima-Njaro, but many on the Seychelles Islands and on Madagascar. Of special interest is a set of beautiful leaf insects from the Seychelles. (Acc. 23656, 24008.) Types of North American Geophilidæ mounted on eight microscopic slides, from 0. F. Cook and G. F. Collins, Syracuse, N. Y. (Acc. 23854.) Forty species of North American Coleoptera, new to collection, from Charles Palm, East Sixty-fourth street, New York. (Exchange.) (Acc. 23853.) North American Noctuidæ, including types of ten new species from Prof. J. B. Smith, New Brunswick, N. J. (Acc. 23933.) Collection of Lepidoptera, containing 382 North American and 62 European species, from the curator. (Acc. 23934.) Fifty-four species of North American Coleoptera, new to collection, from the curator. (Acc. 23964.) Through the curator, 355 species of mounted insects of varies orders from the United States and Mexico, collected by L. Bruner, Lincoln, Nebr. (Acc. 23974.) One hundred and sixty-seven species of South African insects, mostly Coleoptera, from J. H. Brady, Cape Town. (Acc. 23982.) Sixty species and 425 specimens of Lepidoptera, and 375 species, 2,400 specimens of Coleoptera, collected in the States of Washington and California by A. Koebele, and transferred to the National Museum by the curator. (Acc. 24017.) A series of 400 species of Coleoptera and 130 species of Hemiptera, collected by L. Bruner in Western United States and Mexico, and transferred to the National Museum by the curator. (Acc. 34136.) Twenty microscopic slides from Prof. J. B. Smith, New Brunswick, N. J., illustrating his essay on the mouth-parts of Diptera. (Acc. 24135.) A collection of Tineidæ containing 430 species in 900 specimens of North America and 140 species in 500 specimens of Europe. This collection was purchased from William Beutenmüller, of New York, by the Agricultural Department, and deposited in the Museum. It contains the original types of all the species described by Mr. Beutenmüller. (Acc. 24277.) North American Tineidæ and some Tortricidæ, comprising 240 species in 1,100 speci mens, from the curator. (Acc. 24279.) A miscellaneous lot of dry and alcoholic specimens from R. M. Bartleman, Carácas, Venezuela. (Acc. 24351.) Through the curator, 27 species in 217 specimens of Coleoptera and Lepidoptera, collected by D. W. Coquillett, in San Diego, Cal. (Acc. 24459.) As in previous years a large number of additions in small lots or single specimens have been added by the curator or his assistants in the Department of Agriculture, without special accession number. ROUTINE WORK. The routine work during the year has been: 1. The making up of collections for exchange. Some of these are: A series of named Coleoptera for Mr. Charles Palm, of New York; a small series of named Coleoptera for Prof. Paul Noel, Rouen, France; a large series of named Coleoptera for Prof. A. J. Cook, Lansing, Mich.; a series of Coleoptera for Mr. Charles Dury, Cincinnati, Ohio; a series of Hemiptera for Prof. A. L. Montandon, Bucarest, Roumania. 2. The naming of specimens for collectors. Numerous larger and smaller series of insects of all orders have been identified for a number of correspondents. 3. The selection of material to be sent to specialists for study and determination. (a) The Coleoptera of the family Cistelida were sent to Capt. T. L. Casey, New York, who has recently monographed this family. (b) A series of all the forms of the Buprestid genus Agrilus has been selected and sent to Dr. G. H. Horn, of Philadelphia, who offered to identify them according to his newly prepared, still unpublished revision of this genus. (c) A large series of the Dipterous family Tachinidæ, representing all the species in the collection, except uniques, has been prepared and sent to Prof. Frederick Brauer, of Vienna, who has published a new classification of the Calyptrate Muscidæ of the world, but probably from lack of material at his disposal, our North American fauna in this group has not been satisfactorily elucidated. (4) The work of arranging in permanent shape all the collections. In the Lepidoptera the Noctuidæ fasciata, the Tineina, and the biologic series have been rearranged and accessions have been incorporated in the Rhopalocera and Bombycina. In the Coleoptera, which in the last report were stated to have been completely arranged, the incorporation of the vast accessions has necessitated a considerable expansion of the collection. In the Hemiptera the accessions have all been incorporated in the collection. In the Diptera the great bulk of the families have been arranged during the year, occupying about 220 unit boxes, but a number of the more obscure and difficult families are still mixed and unidentified. In the Hymenoptera the whole collection has been rearranged with the aid of Mr. William H. Ashmead for the aculeate and parasitic families, and with the aid of Mr. C. L. Marlatt for the Tenthredinidæ. The order occupies about 370 boxes. The Arachnida have been arranged with the aid of Mr. N. Banks. The collection contains 325 North American and 100 exotic species. Like the Myriopoda these specimens are preserved in alcoholic vials, fastened on blocks, and arranged in large cabinet drawers. The North American Myriopoda have also been rearranged. This collection, including the Bollman collection, bought by the Museum last year, ranks as the largest in existence and contains 160 named species in 325 alcoholic vials, arranged in twelve large drawers. During the past year 12,000 specimens, at a rough estimate, have been added to the collection. The last catalogue entry for June, 1890, is 572 and for June, 1891, is 746. The entire collection was examined during the month of June in search of museum pests, and was found in a highly satisfactory condition. |