1909] The Ottawa Naturalist. 53 



The larval and pupal stages, which are spent in the nests of ants 

 have always been a source of perplexity to many collectors, and 

 even to naturalists of experience, as is evident from the fact that 

 the>- have been repeatedly named and placed in genera even out- 

 side of the insect world. They are especially liable to be taken 

 for snails. The larv^ seem to be tolerated by the ants, and 

 evidently do them no harm. It is not known with certainty on 

 what they feed. 



Mr. Groh had some cockroaches, with their egg-masses 

 attached. The eggs of these creatures are all laid at once, 

 enclosed in a sort of capsule, which is large for the size of the 

 insect. They are carried about for some time before being 

 deposited. 



The Chairman exhibited several cases of specimens, com- 

 menting on specimens of particular interest. Among them were 

 many insects which were examined closelj^ 



Mr. Metcalfe showed a box of miscellaneous insects, among 

 which were a species of Machronycus and Stenehnis crenatus. 

 These are acquatic in their habits, and somewhat snail-like in 

 motion. 



A box of lepidoptera, shown by Mr. Baldwin, included 

 several species uncommon at Ottawa. Mention may be made of 

 Euchalcia venusta, E. putnanii, Hyphoraia parthenos, and Haploa 

 confusa. They were all taken during 1908 at light. 



Mr. Young exhibited a small collection of British Columbia 

 coleoptera, which contained several specimens of the handsome, 

 large wood-borer, Rosalia funebris. 



Mr. Gibson reported that some nests of the dreaded Brown- 

 tail Moth had been found in shipments of nursery stock imported 

 into Ontario from France. This necessitated a close inspection 

 of all such shipments coming into Canada. He showed actual 

 nests which had been taken from fruit seedling stocks found to 

 be infested. He also exhibited specimens of the curious little 

 Bvrrid, Exoma pleuralis, collected at Metlakatla, B.C., by the 

 Rev. J. H. Keen. 



Mr. Halkett read some interesting paragraphs on the dura- 

 tion of the life of insects from a work entitled "The Prolongation 

 of Life," by Elie Metchnikoff, sub-Director of the Pasteur 

 Institute. Paris, France, and also paragraphs from the same 

 work on "The Social Life of Insects." He also showed a number 

 of living mites which had been handed to him by Mr. Henry, the 

 taxidermist, who had found *:hem on canaries. 



H. G. 



