RK-657

[printed] ZOÖLOGICAL SURVEY OF ILLINOIS.

The State of Illinois offers a peculiarly rich field to the investigator in every department of Natural Science. This is particularly the case with refrence to its animal life; well-known eastern species in close connection with western forms, while, by its great length, it serves to connect, in a most remarkable manner, the faunas of the North and South to a degree not paralleled by any other State in the Union. While essentially a Northern State, yet in its southern portion have recently been found many species of animals heretofore supposed to be confined to the regions bordering the Gulf.

The State will probsbly be found to contain, either as temporary or permanent residents, over fifty species of quadrupeds, three hundred of birds, one hundred of reptiles, about two hundred of fishes, with many thousands of insects, mollusks, etc.

Accurate i formation respecting these would be of great interest to the community generally, especially in reference to certain species bearing an intimate relationship, injurious or beneficial, to the operations of the farmer. Very great damage often results to the agricultural interests from the depredations of many quadrupeds and insects, while again other species claim attention from their usefulness in keeping in check these obnoxious animals. Instances of the former may be found in the gopher, meadow mouse, army worm, wheat and Hessian flies, chinch bug, and numerous other less-known but almost equally destructive species; and of the latter in very many quadrupeds, birds, reptiles, carnivorous insects, etc., though [page torn] usefulness of these is comparatively little understood or appreciated.

At present there are no works on Natural History practically adapted to giving the desired information respecting of the animals of Illinois. The reports on the zoölogy of New York and Massachusetts, by Dekay, Harris, Fitch, and others, and the works of Audubon, Wilson, and other writers, are only in part applicable to this State; and even an approximate knowledge of most of our animals could only be obtained through very costly works, inaccessible to the ordinary student.

In order to enable our fatmers to study the animals about them with any degree of profit or sucess, it is absolutely necessary to organize a thorough Zoölogical survey of the State, in addition to the Geological survey now in progress, and to have reports prepared in a compact form. These reports should contain descriptions and, if possible, figures of the different animals, with a history of their habits, useful or injurious. They would thus for most purposes obviate the necessity for other books. This course is the more desirable because so many of our animals, particularly insects, have never yet been described at all.

To make the survey to the fullest extent subsidiary to educational purpose a collection, thoroughly labeled and classified, should be deposited at some central place, where all the animals of the State could be readily studied. In addition to this, other series of specimens could be furnished, from the duplicates collected, to many institutions of learning. It should also be the duty of the naturalist in charge, to assist any institutions in the State wishing to form museums, by labeling their specimans, giving instructions in collecting, etc.

The lead has been taken in this by New York and Massachusetts, and to some extent by Mississippi.

[written] With an annual appropriation by the legislature of $2000. the survey could be made and the report prepared in two years.